Scott No: -
Serial number: 2008-14
Values in set: 4
Date of issue: June 18, 2008
Denomination: 480 fen
Designer: Jiang Weijie
Size of stamps: 50 * 30 mm
Perforation: 13 * 12.5
Sheet composition:
16 for Sheet I;
8 for Sheet II(two sets)
Size of sheet:
240 * 150 mm for Sheet I;
124 * 210 mm for Sheet II
Printing process: photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

On June 18, 2008, the special stamp "Western Taiwan Straits Economic Zone" (catalog number 2008-14) was officially issued. The set consists of four stamps, each with a face value of 1.20 yuan, for a total face value of 4.80 yuan. The stamps were designed by Jiang Weijie and printed by Beijing Stamp Printing Works using the photogravure process, with the miniature sheet featuring an image of Mazu from Meizhou.

The Western Taiwan Straits Economic Zone, centered on Fujian Province, is located on the western side of the Taiwan Strait and serves as a frontier for cross-strait exchange between the mainland and Taiwan. China Post issued this stamp set featuring iconic landmarks from four key coastal cities in Fujian—Fuzhou, Xiamen, and Quanzhou—to present the urban development, port logistics, economic and trade exchanges, and cultural ties between Fujian and Taiwan. The stamps highlight the geographical proximity and deep cultural connections across the strait, conveying the vision of continued economic and cultural cooperation and shared development.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background:

Scenic Minjiang River

Image: The stamp features the buildings along the Minjiang River in Fuzhou and the Minjiang Park, with the river and city skyline.
Significance: The Minjiang River is the mother river of Fuzhou. This stamp presents the modern urban development of the provincial capital, showcasing the city's livable waterfront character.

Xiamen Port

Image: The main subject is the Xiamen Port container terminal, with large cranes and ocean-going vessels.
Significance: Xiamen Port is a key hub port on the southeastern coast, reflecting the region's foreign trade development and modern logistics capabilities.

Convention and Exhibition Center

Image: The main subject is the Xiamen International Convention and Exhibition Center, surrounded by tropical plants and bougainvillea.
Significance: This venue hosts various economic and trade exhibitions throughout the year, serving as an important platform for business negotiations and cross-strait economic exchange.

Museum of Fujian-Taiwan Kinship

Image: The main subject is the Museum of Fujian-Taiwan Kinship in Quanzhou.
Significance: The museum displays historical and cultural materials illustrating the shared origins of Fujian and Taiwan, serving as a landmark venue for preserving the cultural ties between the two sides of the strait.

Artistic and Design Features:

The set features a uniform horizontal format with a realistic painting style, using fresh and bright colors with blue skies and blue seas to highlight the coastal character of the region. The four stamps follow a clear logical sequence: provincial capital, port hub, trade platform, and cultural landmark. The miniature sheet includes an image of Mazu from Meizhou, further emphasizing the cultural connection between Fujian and Taiwan. The photogravure printing provides rich color layers and accurate reproduction of architectural and landscape details, creating a coordinated overall style.

This stamp set is a representative special issue on the Western Taiwan Straits Economic Zone, available in multiple formats. It is often collected together with other Fujian regional scenery stamps and cross-strait exchange-themed issues, making it an important modern item for thematic collections on regional development and cross-strait cultural exchange.