Scott No: -
Serial number: 2018-34
Values in set: 2
Date of issue: December 18, 2018
Denomination: 240 fen
Designer: Li Zhihong
Size of stamps: 50 * 30 mm
Perforation: 13
Sheet composition:
16 for Sheet I;
8 (4 Sets) for Sheet II
Size of sheet:
240 * 150 mm for Sheet I;
186 * 141 mm for Sheet II
Size of S/S: 150 * 100 mm
Size of S/S Stamp: 108 * 71 mm
S/S Perforation: 13.5
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Stamp Printing Works

China Post scheduled the release of a commemorative stamp set titled The 40th Anniversary of Reform and Opening-Up on December 18, 2018. The set comprises 2 stamps and 1 souvenir sheet. The stamps are themed “Holding High the Banner” and “The Great Practice” respectively, with a combined face value of 8.40 yuan for the full set. The souvenir sheet, named “Building Dreams in the New Era”, has a face value of 6 yuan.

In 1978, the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China made the great decision to shift the focus of the Party’s work to economic development and implement the reform and opening-up policy, opening a new era for the development of the socialist cause.

2018 marked the 40th anniversary of reform and opening-up. Over the past 40 years, the Party Central Committee has united and led the whole Party and people of all ethnic groups in China to carry forward the cause pioneered by their predecessors and forge ahead into the future, advancing the great cause of reform and opening-up in a relay manner. They have gone through an extraordinary and glorious journey, composed a new magnificent epic of the Chinese nation’s perseverance and forging ahead, and achieved remarkable great accomplishments in all undertakings of the Party and the country that have attracted worldwide attention. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Over the past 40 years of reform and opening-up, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese people, with the courage to blaze trails through mountains and build bridges over rivers, and with the perseverance of dripping water that penetrates stone, have successfully blazed a path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. We have encountered difficulties and challenges, but we have made unremitting efforts and kept pace with the times, writing the story of contemporary China’s development and progress with diligence, courage and wisdom.”

The stamp “Holding High the Banner” is designed with elements including the Pioneer Ox Sculpture in Shenzhen, the stock sample of Shanghai Feilo Acoustics Co., Ltd., the Contract Responsibility System Sculpture in Xiaogang Village, supplemented by wheat fields, ports, buildings and tower cranes. The text on the stamp reads “Practice is the sole criterion for testing truth”, implying that the Party Central Committee has united and led the whole Party and people of all ethnic groups in China to forge ahead with determination, implement reform and opening-up, and successfully blaze a path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

The stamp “The Great Practice” is designed with elements including the Great Hall of the People, the Fuxing bullet train, the C919 large passenger aircraft, and beautiful villages after the implementation of “targeted poverty alleviation”, supplemented by silhouettes of modern ports and urban buildings. The text on the stamp reads “Secure a Decisive Victory in Building a Moderately Prosperous Society in All Respects”, signifying that over the 40 years of reform and opening-up, the Party and the country have achieved remarkable great accomplishments in all undertakings that have attracted worldwide attention, and the whole nation shares the happiness and joy of prosperity and development in the process of the great practice of reform and opening-up.

The souvenir sheet “Building Dreams in the New Era” is designed with elements including the Huabiao, the Tiananmen Rostrum, doves of peace, scenes of people of all ethnic groups celebrating enthusiastically, supplemented by the national flag, magnolia flowers, ships, the dome of the Great Hall of the People and aerospace achievements. It conveys the implication that the Party Central Committee will unite and lead the whole Party and people of all ethnic groups in China to continue advancing reform and opening-up at the new starting point of the new era, and sail forward to build dreams towards the goal of realizing the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation!

The stamps were designed by Li Zhihong and printed using photogravure technology by Beijing Stamp Printing House.