Scott No: -
Serial number: 2018-30
Values in set: 2
Date of issue: November 5, 2018
Denomination: 240 fen
Designer: Song Jian
Size of stamps: 30 * 50 mm
Perforation: 13.5
Sheet composition:
16 for Sheet I;
8 for Sheet II
Size of sheet:
146 * 240 mm for Sheet I
150 * 170 mm for Sheet II
Printing process:
Photogravure for Sheet I;
Offset for Sheet II
Printing House: Beijing Stamp Printing Works

China Post scheduled the release of a commemorative stamp set titled China International Import Expo on November 5, 2018. The set contains 2 stamps, with their design themes named "Openness and Cooperation" and "Shared Future" respectively. The total face value of the full set is 2.40 yuan.

As a major decision made by China to advance a new round of high-level opening-up and a significant initiative and action to proactively open its market to the world, the first China International Import Expo was held in Shanghai from November 5 to 10. It was the world’s first national-level expo themed on imports, and also the concluding event of China’s four major home diplomatic activities that year.

The theme slogan of the first China International Import Expo was "New Era, Shared Future", which means the expo would build a new type of international public platform featuring global inclusiveness, openness and cooperation, and mutually beneficial development, enabling the world to share the achievements of China’s development in the "New Era". The expo’s logo consists of a globe in the center, a light blue ring on the outside, the expo’s name in both Chinese and English, and its English abbreviation "CIIE". The main image of the expo’s mascot is a giant panda named "Jinbao" (a homophone for "Jinquan", the abbreviation of "China International Import Expo" in Chinese). The name not only carries the meaning of "a treasure of the Import Expo", but also implies the auspicious connotation of "attracting wealth and treasures".

The main element of the first stamp is the logo of this expo, with the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) – the main venue of the expo – at the bottom. A four-leaf clover pattern dotted beside it symbolizes good luck; the background uses silhouettes to show the urban scenery of Beijing and Shanghai. The main subject of the second stamp is "Jinbao", the mascot of this expo. The two stamps are connected by golden and blue-green ribbons symbolizing the "Belt and Road Initiative", which imply wealth and hope. On the ribbons, the silhouettes of the main cities of the twelve guest of honor countries at this expo are displayed.

The stamps were designed by Song Jian, who has previously designed stamps such as Cao Chong Weighs the Elephant, The Tadpoles Look for Their Mother, Animation – "Havoc in Heaven", and National Reading. The stamps were printed by Beijing Stamp Printing House: Format 1 was printed using photogravure technology, while Format 2 was printed using offset printing technology.