News

Speech for Mr Allan CHIANG, the Postmaster General

Chairman HO, distinguished guests and friends from the media,

Good Morning and welcome to the issuing ceremony of "World Heritage in China" Special Stamps. I would like to thank Mr HO Sing-tin, Chairman of the Antiquities Advisory Board, for taking time out of his busy schedule to officiate at today's ceremony.

Blessed with enchanting landscape and scenic vistas, China is home to a people of great ingenuity and possesses such spectacular natural wonders and fascinating historical monuments that takes a lifetime to explore. As of today, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has inscribed 29 world-renowned sites of China on the World Heritage List, and for that, we should be proud.

Today, Hongkong Post issues a set of special stamps to celebrate six scenic spots and historic sites that boast tremendous historical and cultural value, namely Potala Palace, Imperial Palace of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor, Mount Huangshan, Old Town of Lijiang and Jiuzhaigou Valley. Yet their importance goes beyond being the "must-see" tourist spots since they represent the tapestries of China's rich and profound culture, as well as a national pride of every Chinese.

Hongkong Post treasures cultural relics and history. Since the 80s, we have issued more than ten sets of special stamps to promote cultural education, featuring themes such as "Port of Hong Kong Past and Present" (1982), "Historical Buildings of Hong Kong" (1985), "Historical Scenes of Hong Kong" (1987), "Hong Kong Rural Heritage" (1995), "Hong Kong Archaeological Finds" (1996), "Traditional Trades and Handicrafts" (2003) etc.

In fact, our stamp issues cover a wide range of subject matter other than culture and history. For instances, the "Waterbirds Special Stamps", jointly issued with Sweden Post, deal with general knowledge of interest; the joint issue of Hongkong Post, China Post and Macau Post on "The Successful Flight of China's First Manned Spacecraft" touches upon significant world issues; while the series of stamp sheetlets on tourism, which is also the theme of the upcoming Hong Kong 2004 Stamp Expo, carry a distinguished local flavour. What appears to be a tiny piece of paper printed with text and graphics turns out to be anything but. For every release and every single piece of stamp, the post administration must have gone through painstaking lengths to achieve the finest quality possible. It is no wonder why Hongkong Post's stamp releases gain a wide following both locally and internationally over the years.

Thank you.