****************************************************

The Postmaster General, Mr Robert Footman, announced today (Tuesday) that Hongkong Post will organise a travelling exhibition, "Hong Kong's Return to China Philatelic Exhibition", jointly with the China National Philatelic Corporation (CNPC).

The exhibition covers five cities, four in the Mainland and Hong Kong as the last stop. The exhibition aims at celebrating the first anniversary of the Reunification and promoting Hong Kong Special Administrative Region stamps to mainland philatelists.

Hongkong Post will issue a souvenir cover to commemorate the first anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on July 1, 1998. This souvenir cover will also be used to commemorate Hongkong Post's participation in the travelling exhibition. This souvenir cover at HK$2 each will be available at 26 philatelic offices from June 18 to July 1.

Five cachets, one for each exhibition city, will be introduced to commemorate this exhibition. Cachet for each exhibition will be available for general cancellation purpose at the respective exhibition venues during the specified period and at the 26 philatelic offices in Hong Kong on the exhibition opening dates.

A special postmark will be introduced on July 1 to commemorate the first anniversary of the establishment of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Handback service will be provided at the 26 philatelic offices for this exhibition and the details are listed below:

Date Service available at 26 philatelic offices

---- ------------------------------------------

19.6.98 Handback with normal office datestamp and

cachets of Wuhan and Nanchang exhibitions.

26.6.98 Handback with normal office datestamp and

cachets of Shenzhen and Fuzhou exhibitions.

30.6.98 Handback with normal office datestamp and

cachet of Hong Kong exhibition.

1.7.98 Handback with special postmark of 1.7.98 and

cachet of Hong Kong exhibition.

The 26 philatelic offices will be opened on July 1 and the opening hours will be from 9 am to 2 pm. However, counter services will be restricted to sale of stamps and acceptance of registered mail only.

An overseas stamp exhibition folder depicting scenery of Hong Kong for the holding of stamps and souvenir covers, will be introduced for sale at all overseas exhibition venues concerned during the respective exhibition periods. This folder will also be available at the Hong Kong exhibition venue at Hong Kong Exhibition Centre from June 30 to July 4, 1998 at HK$10 each.

A special souvenir pack, each containing six serviced gold-foiled souvenir cover will be available for sale at the Hong Kong exhibition venue at Hong Kong Exhibition Centre and the 26 philatelic offices from July 1 to 4. The selling price is HK$80. This pack contains five serviced gold-foiled souvenir covers cancelled with the respective exhibition opening days' datestamp and a sixth gold-foiled cover cancelled with the special postmark of July 1, 1998. These gold-foiled covers are only available for sale with the pack.

End/Tuesday, June 16, 1998

NNNN