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Following is the speech by the Postmaster General, Mr Luk Ping-chuen, at the "Launching Ceremony for Wine Fulfilment Service" today (December 12):

Mr Mike Owen, Mr Rees, distinguished guests, colleagues and friends from the media,

Good afternoon.

Thank you for joining us in this ceremony to mark the launching of the Wine Fulfilment Service. Hongkong Post has started to develop its Logistics Service since 2000. We have been striving for new development opportunities with our business partners ever since then. The Wine Fulfilment Service is a good example of how Hongkong Post has successfully collaborated with its overseas counterpart to develop a cross-border Logistics Service. Our counterpart in Australia, the Australia Post, has been providing Logistics services for the wineries within their states with proven success. By leveraging on our delivery and logistics competence, Hongkong Post is now bringing this successful initiative to our Hong Kong Market.

The first product brought by the Wine Fulfilment Service to Hong Kong residents is the exclusive Heartwood collection. They are premium wines from six of the best wineries in Western Australia. All family run, these wineries are renowned for their distinctive wines of "elegance, structural complexity and great intensity of flavour". Members of the public can now order these quality wines at post offices, through mail order or through our Internet shopping mall, iShop. The ordered wine will be delivered to your doorstep within 2 - 5 business days, with all duties and charges paid. All fans of wine can now relax and enjoy the shopping convenience made possible by the Hongkong Post Fulfilment Centre.

Hongkong Post is always committed to extend our ranges of services to meet the changing needs of the customers as well as provide quality service for the community. Driven by our values "to excel through development and innovation", we will continue to work with our business partners and bring you other quality products and services via the Fulfilment Service.

It is our privilege and pleasure to work with Australia Post and the wineries of Western Australia in the development of this service. It is the close cooperation and joint effort of all parties concerned that make today's launching a reality. I trust that following the successful launching of the Wine Fulfilment Service today the Heartwood Collection will be well received by the public in Hong Kong. Thank you.

End/Thursday, December 12, 2002

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