Hongkong Post
Encyclopedia
Hongkong Post is a department under the Government of Hong Kong
responsible for postal services, though operated as a Trading Fund
. Founded in 1841, it was known as Postal Department or Post Office before the handover of Hong Kong
in 1997. It is sub-member of the Universal Postal Union
since 1877, and is a separate entity from China Post
.
Merchants traded in Hong Kong at the two sides of Victoria Harbour
as early as before the British
possession
in 1842. They complained about the absence of proper postal services and therefore the Postal Department was established.
The department was founded on August 28, 1841 but the first post office (a.k.a. 書信館 at that time), situated near the recent site of St. John's Cathedral
, opened later on November 12. At the beginning its right to operation belonged to the Royal Mail
until its transfer to the Postmaster General on May 1, 1860.
On December 8, 1862, the Office issued the first set of Hong Kong postal stamps. Before that, only British soldiers in Hong Kong could use British stamps while other local residents did not have any. Until the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997, BFPO 1 was the address for British forces serving in the then colony. When sending mail from the UK to a member of HM Forces serving overseas, the sender must address it to the appropriate BFPO number, and not to the country in which that person is based. BFPO1 addressed mail was charged at the inland UK rate.
In 1989, the Office introduced automated mail sorting and machines installed in the General Post Office. Unlike mainland China
, there is no post code system in Hong Kong, although one has been under consideration since 2000.
Since August 1995, the Office operates as a Trading Fund. Full title of the head of the Office becomes Postmaster General and General Manager of the Post Office Trading Fund .
Before 1997, the post box
es were painted red as in the United Kingdom
, and was engraved with a British Royal Coat of Arms
. After the transfer of sovereignty in 1997, the livery
of the drop-off boxes has become green, with the new Hongkong Post logo. Old pillar post boxes were eventually retired and replaced with the generic boxes used today.
, Hong Kong
produced postage stamp
s simply bearing the name Hong Kong, with the likenesses (in profile) of the reigning monarchs of the United Kingdom
, or with the royal symbols, for example, "EIIR" (short form for "Elizabeth II Regina" ) to represent Queen Elizabeth II
. Since the Hong Kong's transfer of sovereignty to China
in 1997, stamps issued bear the name Hong Kong, China.
British Hong Kong postage stamps are no longer valid for prepayment of postage or repurchased by the Post Office.
products, and other sales, and is used by the Government and utilities to accept payment.
stamps by collectors. Today, there are three main areas of work:
Owing to its conservative stamp-issuing policy, stamp collecting in Hong Kong is popular hobby. Different types of attractively designed stamp products are popular with stamp collectors around the world.
Hongkong Post also provides services listed below:
List of Hong Kong companies
Government of Hong Kong
The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, commonly the Hong Kong Government, is led by the Chief Executive as Head of the Government, who is also the head of the Hong Kong SAR...
responsible for postal services, though operated as a Trading Fund
Trading Fund
A trading fund is a UK executive agency, government department or part of a department, which has been established as such by means of a Trading Fund Order made under the Government Trading Funds Act 1973....
. Founded in 1841, it was known as Postal Department or Post Office before the handover of Hong Kong
Transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong
The transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China, referred to as ‘the Return’ or ‘the Reunification’ by the Chinese and ‘the Handover’ by others, took place on 1 July 1997...
in 1997. It is sub-member of the Universal Postal Union
Universal Postal Union
The Universal Postal Union is an international organization that coordinates postal policies among member nations, in addition to the worldwide postal system. The UPU contains four bodies consisting of the Congress, the Council of Administration , the Postal Operations Council and the...
since 1877, and is a separate entity from China Post
China Post
China Post , which is the name used by the State Post Bureau of PRC in business, is the official postal service of the People's Republic of China. China Post is operated by the State Post Bureau of the People's Republic of China. The State Post Bureau, commonly referred to as China Post, is both a...
.
History
Victoria Harbour
Victoria Harbour is a natural landform harbour situated between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula in Hong Kong. The harbour's deep, sheltered waters and strategic location on the South China Sea were instrumental in Hong Kong's establishment as a British colony and its subsequent...
as early as before the British
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
possession
Treaty of Nanking
The Treaty of Nanking was signed on 29 August 1842 to mark the end of the First Opium War between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Qing Dynasty of China...
in 1842. They complained about the absence of proper postal services and therefore the Postal Department was established.
The department was founded on August 28, 1841 but the first post office (a.k.a. 書信館 at that time), situated near the recent site of St. John's Cathedral
St. John's Cathedral, Hong Kong
St. John's Cathedral , officially The Cathedral Church of St. John the Evangelist and located at 4 Garden Road, Central, is an Anglican cathedral in Hong Kong. It is the Diocesan cathedral of the...
, opened later on November 12. At the beginning its right to operation belonged to the Royal Mail
Royal Mail
Royal Mail is the government-owned postal service in the United Kingdom. Royal Mail Holdings plc owns Royal Mail Group Limited, which in turn operates the brands Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide...
until its transfer to the Postmaster General on May 1, 1860.
On December 8, 1862, the Office issued the first set of Hong Kong postal stamps. Before that, only British soldiers in Hong Kong could use British stamps while other local residents did not have any. Until the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997, BFPO 1 was the address for British forces serving in the then colony. When sending mail from the UK to a member of HM Forces serving overseas, the sender must address it to the appropriate BFPO number, and not to the country in which that person is based. BFPO1 addressed mail was charged at the inland UK rate.
In 1989, the Office introduced automated mail sorting and machines installed in the General Post Office. Unlike mainland China
Mainland China
Mainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
, there is no post code system in Hong Kong, although one has been under consideration since 2000.
Since August 1995, the Office operates as a Trading Fund. Full title of the head of the Office becomes Postmaster General and General Manager of the Post Office Trading Fund .
Before 1997, the post box
Post box
A post box is a physical box into which members of the public can deposit outgoing mail intended for collection by the agents of a country's postal service...
es were painted red as in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and was engraved with a British Royal Coat of Arms
Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom
The Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom is the official coat of arms of the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. These arms are used by the Queen in her official capacity as monarch of the United Kingdom, and are officially known as her Arms of Dominion...
. After the transfer of sovereignty in 1997, the livery
Livery
A livery is a uniform, insignia or symbol adorning, in a non-military context, a person, an object or a vehicle that denotes a relationship between the wearer of the livery and an individual or corporate body. Often, elements of the heraldry relating to the individual or corporate body feature in...
of the drop-off boxes has become green, with the new Hongkong Post logo. Old pillar post boxes were eventually retired and replaced with the generic boxes used today.
Postal history
During the colonial eraColonial Hong Kong
In the 19th century the British, Dutch, French, Indians and Americans saw Imperial China as the world's largest untapped market. In 1840 the British Empire launched their first and one of the most aggressive expeditionary forces to claim the territory that would later be known as Hong Kong.In a few...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
produced postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
s simply bearing the name Hong Kong, with the likenesses (in profile) of the reigning monarchs of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, or with the royal symbols, for example, "EIIR" (short form for "Elizabeth II Regina" ) to represent Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
. Since the Hong Kong's transfer of sovereignty to China
Transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong
The transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China, referred to as ‘the Return’ or ‘the Reunification’ by the Chinese and ‘the Handover’ by others, took place on 1 July 1997...
in 1997, stamps issued bear the name Hong Kong, China.
British Hong Kong postage stamps are no longer valid for prepayment of postage or repurchased by the Post Office.
Post Offices
Post offices of the Hongkong Post are scattered throughout Hong Kong. As of 2007, there are 34 of them on Hong Kong Island, 42 at Kowloon, 45 in the New Territories and 8 on the Outlying Islands. There are two mobile post offices providing postal services in remote areas in the New Territories.Post
In addition to making its income from traditional postal delivery, it also sells philatelicPhilately
Philately is the study of stamps and postal history and other related items. Philately involves more than just stamp collecting, which does not necessarily involve the study of stamps. It is possible to be a philatelist without owning any stamps...
products, and other sales, and is used by the Government and utilities to accept payment.
Philately
Hongkong Post Stamps was a division set up in 1974 charged with promoting and popularising stamp collecting, and to meet the ever-increasing demand for Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
stamps by collectors. Today, there are three main areas of work:
- stamp product design and production,
- fulfillment and advance ordering service and
- philatelic marketing.
Owing to its conservative stamp-issuing policy, stamp collecting in Hong Kong is popular hobby. Different types of attractively designed stamp products are popular with stamp collectors around the world.
Other
- Local CourierCourierA courier is a person or a company who delivers messages, packages, and mail. Couriers are distinguished from ordinary mail services by features such as speed, security, tracking, signature, specialization and individualization of express services, and swift delivery times, which are optional for...
Post - SpeedpostSpeedPostSpeedPost is the trade name or brand name for a high-speed postal service provided by several postal companies around the world. It is Taiwan Post's high-speed domestic postal service in the Republic of China , Hongkong Post's international courier post service , India Post's local and...
- Periodicals/Circular/Direct Mail services
- e-Post
- e-Cert (Electronic Certificate for e-commerce)
- e-Business
- Franking machine
- Postal remittance service (to CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Mainland ChinaMainland ChinaMainland China, the Chinese mainland or simply the mainland, is a geopolitical term that refers to the area under the jurisdiction of the People's Republic of China . According to the Taipei-based Mainland Affairs Council, the term excludes the PRC Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and...
, IndonesiaIndonesiaIndonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, NepalNepalNepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
and the PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
) - Electronic remittance service (through Western UnionWestern UnionThe Western Union Company is a financial services and communications company based in the United States. Its North American headquarters is in Englewood, Colorado. Up until 2006, Western Union was the best-known U.S...
) - PayThruPost (Bill payment)
- LogisticsLogisticsLogistics is the management of the flow of goods between the point of origin and the point of destination in order to meet the requirements of customers or corporations. Logistics involves the integration of information, transportation, inventory, warehousing, material handling, and packaging, and...
, etc.
Incidents
- In 2005, newspaperNewspaperA newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
s revealed that there were pinhole cameraPinhole cameraA pinhole camera is a simple camera without a lens and with a single small aperture – effectively a light-proof box with a small hole in one side. Light from a scene passes through this single point and projects an inverted image on the opposite side of the box...
s installed in Cheung Sha Wan Post Office thus violating people's privacy. Hongkong Post explained that such installation was necessary for facilitating policePoliceThe police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
investigation about several suspected theft cases.
- In March 2007, two postmen lost three bags of mails heading to Wan Chai and the Eastern DistrictEastern District, Hong KongThe Eastern District is one of the 18 districts of Hong Kong. It had a population of 587,690 in 2006. The district has the second highest population while its residents have the third highest median household income among 18 districts....
in the management offices of certain buildings. Though Hongkong Post eventually found one of the lost bags, it is estimated that about 400 letters were lost. The offices where the mails disappeared are not in the list of official keeping places of mailbags. Therefore, Hongkong Post put the two postmen into disciplinary actions for their ignorance. However, some in the postmen's union said there was little chance for ignorance and it might be a robbery.
Achievements
- Hongkong Post won the "Hong Kong Awards for Industries - Productivity and Quality Award" in 2005 for its achievement in productivity enhancement and total quality management
- It was awarded the Caring Organisation Logo 2005/06 by the Hong Kong Council of Social Service
- It won the Gold Level Certification in the Universal Postal Union EMS Cooperative Audit and Measurement Programme 2005
- It won the Web Care Award 2005 - Gold Prize from Internet Professional Association
- It sets the new Guinness World Record for the largest stamp mosaic.
Postage rate
The postage rates vary from one service to another and these can be found at the company's website.See also
- Chunghwa PostChunghwa PostThe Chunghwa Post Co., Ltd. , formerly Taiwan Post Co. , is the official postal service of the Republic of China , providing mail service for Taiwan Area of the Republic of China. It also provides a savings account service...
- China PostChina PostChina Post , which is the name used by the State Post Bureau of PRC in business, is the official postal service of the People's Republic of China. China Post is operated by the State Post Bureau of the People's Republic of China. The State Post Bureau, commonly referred to as China Post, is both a...
- CTT (Macau)CTT (Macau)Correios de Macau , formerly CTT Correios de Macau, is a department under the Government of Macau responsible for postal services....
- List of postal services abroad
- List of postal services by countries
List of Hong Kong companies
- Royal MailRoyal MailRoyal Mail is the government-owned postal service in the United Kingdom. Royal Mail Holdings plc owns Royal Mail Group Limited, which in turn operates the brands Royal Mail and Parcelforce Worldwide...
- operated in Hong Kong from 1841 to 1870
Sources
- Stanley Gibbons Ltd: various catalogues
- Encyclopaedia of Postal History
- Stuart Rossiter & John Flower: The Stamp Atlas
- Webb, F. W. (1961) The Philatelic and Postal History of Hong Kong and the Treaty Ports of China and Japan, The Royal Philatelic Society London