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

Hongkong Post is pleased to announce the opening of a new post office in Cyberport, bringing the total number of branch post offices in Hong Kong to 132. This will also be the 39 philatelic post office in the territory.

Cyberport Post Office, located at Shops 5-8, Level 1, Service Annex, Cyberport, 100 Cyberport Road, Hong Kong, will open for business on Friday, January 17, 2003 at 12:00 noon.

The Postmaster General, Mr Luk Ping-chuen said, "as the first public recognised Certification Authority in Hong Kong, Hongkong Post is proud to be part of the exciting Cyberport project which will position Hong Kong as a leading digital city in the globally-connected world of the 21st century. The Cyberport Post Office features an innovative layout and contemporary interior design that accentuates Hongkong Post's dynamic, customer-friendly corporate image. The opening of this office is another example of our determination to achieve consistently the highest levels of customer satisfaction in serving the community. "

To commemorate the post office opening, a $2 souvenir cover will be issued and put on sale at the General Post Office, Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office, Shatin Central Post Office, Tsuen Wan Post Office from January 10 to January 17, 2003 and at the new office upon the office opening. A special hand-back service will be provided on January 17, 2003 at the new office, whereby official and privately made unregistered covers with full postage prepaid and bearing the words "First Day Cover" and a local address will be accepted and impressed with the normal post office datestamp or the philatelic pictorial postmark, depending on the customers' choice and handed back to them. To provide greater convenience for philatelists, the normal post office datestamp and philatelic pictorial postmark of the Cyberport Post Office will be reproduced for the provision of hand-back service at the General Post Office, Tsim Sha Tsui Post Office, Shatin Central Post Office and Tsuen Wan Post Office on January 17, 2003. No special postage stamp will be issued for the new post office opening.

An opening ceremony will be held at the new office on January 17, 2003. Officiating guests include the Permanent Secretary for Commerce, Industry and Technology (Information Technology and Broadcasting), Mr Francis Ho Suen-wai, JP, the Chairman of Southern District Council, Mr Joseph Chan Yuek-sut and the District Officer (Southern), Mr Lau Kwok-choi, JP.

End/Wednesday, January 8, 2003

NNNN