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The University Library System of The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and the Library of the Universite de Provence (UP) of France signed an agreement for a cooperative venture on 5 November to collect and purchase materials relating to and written by Mr. Gao Xingjian, Nobel Laureate in Literature in 2000, in order to strengthen each other's library collections. The signing ceremony was conducted by the University Librarians of both universities, Dr. Colin Storey and Madame Martine Mollet, and witnessed by Prof. Jack Cheng, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of CUHK, representative from the Consulate General of France in Hong Kong, and other distinguished guests.

UP is one of the three universities in the Aix-Marseille Region, France, with more than 20,000 students. The cooperation between the two libraries was first initiated by Prof. Noel Dutrait of UP and Prof. Gilbert Fong of the Translation Department of CUHK. Prof. Dutrait has been a close friend of Mr. Gao since 1979. He is an expert on Chinese modern literature specializing in the study of Mr. Gao's works. He and his wife, Liliane, have translated several Mr. Gao's works into French. Prof. Fong is an expert on Gao Xingjian's plays and he has translated several Mr. Gao's works into English.

The cooperative agreement covers five areas: the development of a website on Mr. Gao, purchase of materials, exchange of collected materials, interlibrary loans and exchange of staff. The collaboration will benefit scholars and researchers around the world by a mutual effort to build the most comprehensive set of first-hand resources on the life and works of Mr. Gao Xingjian.