Scott No: -
Serial number: 2008-25
Values in set: 3
Date of issue: September 28, 2008
Denomination: 360 fen
Designer: Li Zhihong
Size of stamps: 50 * 30 mm
Perforation: 13 * 12.5
Sheet composition: 12 ( 4 sets)
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

On September 28, 2008, the special stamp "Airport Hubs" (catalog number 2008-25) was officially issued. The set consists of three stamps, each with a face value of 1.20 yuan, for a total face value of 3.60 yuan. The stamps were designed by Li Zhihong and printed by Beijing Stamp Printing Works using the photogravure process.

Airport hubs are vital components of modern integrated transportation systems and important gateways for opening-up. The stamps feature the terminal buildings of three national-level hub airports in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, showcasing the achievements of China's modern large-scale airport infrastructure. Beijing Capital International Airport Terminal 3, Shanghai Pudong International Airport Terminal 2, and Guangzhou New Baiyun International Airport are all benchmark projects completed in the new century, featuring advanced facilities and distinctive architectural designs. This stamp set documents the leapfrog development of China's civil aviation infrastructure, highlights the vibrant growth of China's aviation industry, and reflects the opening-up and global connectivity of the three major cities.

Stamp Designs and Historical Background:

Beijing Capital International Airport

Image: The main subject is Terminal 3 of Beijing Capital International Airport, with its iconic golden streamlined roof.
Significance: Terminal 3 was a key supporting project for the Beijing Olympics and was the largest single terminal building in China at the time, serving as the capital's primary aviation gateway.

Shanghai Pudong International Airport

Image: The main subject is Terminal 2 of Shanghai Pudong International Airport, surrounded by water, with aircraft in the airspace.
Significance: Pudong Airport is a key international aviation hub in the Yangtze River Delta, supporting Shanghai's goal of becoming an international shipping center and driving the export-oriented economy of the eastern coastal region.

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport

Image: The main subject is the main building of Guangzhou New Baiyun International Airport, with the control tower in the background.
Significance: New Baiyun Airport is a core aviation hub in southern China and was the first modern airport in China planned and built according to the hub airport concept, serving the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao region.

Artistic and Design Features:

The set features a uniform horizontal format, with the three stamps arranged vertically in a continuous sequence, forming a coherent visual series. The realistic architectural style, with blue skies as the background, creates a fresh and grand atmosphere. Each stamp features silhouettes of civil aircraft, reinforcing the aviation theme. The architectural features of the three airports are accurately reproduced, highlighting the hub layouts of the three major economic regions—Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The photogravure printing effectively captures the architectural lines and light-shadow layers, with an overall coordinated and orderly design.

This stamp set is a thematic issue on transportation infrastructure and civil aviation, with a distinctive vertical three-stamp continuous format. Available in stamp set and large sheet formats, collectors often pair it with other transportation-themed stamps, such as ports, railways, and highways, making it an important item for thematic collections on modern infrastructure construction.