Belgium Queen Mathilde's visit to Hong Kong may boost cultural exchange

Hong Kong is to have a royal visit that may boost international involvement in its culture hub.

Belgium's queen, Mathilde, arrives for a three-day visit on Wednesday as part of her first Asian tour since ascending to the throne four months ago.

Her mission involves finance and trade, but she is also likely to explore possibilities for her country's artists to perform at the West Kowloon Cultural District.

"Hong Kong is culturally significant … and Belgium is ready to contribute to that," the country's consul general, Evert Marechal, said yesterday.

"Belgium has a lot to offer, not only in the field of design but culture. As Hong Kong is doing a lot to build up its hardware, I think Belgium, with its rich cultural tradition, can offer a lot of software."

Queen Mathilde will head a 300-strong trade delegation that includes Belgium's deputy prime minister, some of the country's top designers, and businessmen.