More than 800 students from Hong Kong will take a five-day high-speed train trip from Shenzhen in Guangdong province to Harbin, capital of Northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, on Dec 26.

On Dec 24, a launching ceremony for students traveling to Harbin was held at the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals’ Lee Ching Dea Memorial College.

Leung Chun-ying, Hong Kong chief executive; Wang Zhimin, vice-director of the central government liaison office; and Eddie Ng Hak-kim, head of Hong Kong’s Educational Department, attended the ceremony.

Leung said the trip would enable the students to experience the beautiful landscape and witness the economic development of the Chinese mainland, adding that it was a window for Hong Kong students to learn more about the Chinese mainland.

Organized by youth committees including the Hong Kong United Youth Association, the Y. Elites Association Limited and the Hua Jing Society, the trip would take Hong Kong students to the Harbin Ice and Snow World, the Sun Island Snow Sculpture Art Expo, the Harbin Museum of Astronomy and Harbin Electric Machinery Company. Students will also dine with students of the Harbin Institute of Technology and communicate with young people in Heilongjiang province at a gala.