Chief Secretary Anson Chan Fang On-sang will this week meet Chinese leaders for the first time in her capacity as the Chief Executive-designate's right-hand woman.
Mrs Chan would travel to Beijing tomorrow and on Friday join future boss Tung Chee-hwa at the Trade Development Council (TDC) annual dinner in the capital, the Government announced last night.
At the invitation of Mr Tung, Mrs Chan will meet senior leaders during her three-day trip.
She is likely to have talks with Prime Minister Li Peng and President Jiang Zemin.
The meetings will be the first since Mrs Chan was nominated by Mr Tung and appointed by Beijing as the administrative secretary of the Special Administrative Region (SAR).
A government source said Mrs Chan had discussed her trip with Governor Chris Patten, who was comfortable with it.
He said Mr Patten had reckoned on the need for his senior officials to develop a closer working relationship with Beijing's leaders and officials.