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First Day Cover text - Centenary of the Birth of Deng Xiaoping

Deng Xiaoping (1904-1997), born in Guang'an County, Sichuan Province, was the chief architect of China's socialist reforms, open policy and modernisation drive, as well as the principal founder of the Deng Xiaoping Theory. Commanding great respect from the party, the army and people of all ethnic groups throughout China, he was also an influential figure on the world stage.

A visionary, Deng Xiaoping put forward the ingenious concept of "One Country, Two Systems", which laid the foundation for the smooth return of Hong Kong and Macau to the motherland and their continued stability and prosperity in the years to come.

To commemorate the centenary of Deng Xiaoping's birth, Hongkong Post, China Post and Macau Post each issues a set of two commemorative stamps and a stamp sheetlet on 22 August 2004. The two stamps (HK$1.40 each) issued by Hongkong Post depict images of Deng Xiaoping with day and night scenes of Hong Kong in the background. The stamp sheetlet (HK$10) features the life of Deng Xiaoping and the transformation of Hong Kong. On the same day, the three postal administrations jointly issue a souvenir pack containing the stamp sheetlets and three mini-panes, each embedded with eight commemorative stamps from the postal administrations. This is the fourth time for special stamps on the same theme jointly issued by the three postal administrations.

Shown on the First Day Cover is a photo of Deng Xiaoping taken during an inspection visit to a village in Sichuan, complemented by a Bauhinia flower, the emblem of Hong Kong and a famous quote by Deng Xiaoping - "I am the son of the Chinese people and I deeply love my people and my country".