Scott No: -
Serial number: 2017-29
Values in set: 4
Date of issue: Nov 25, 2017
Denomination: 480 fen
Designer: Shen Jiahong
Size of stamps: 50 * 30 mm
Perforation: 13
Sheet composition: 12
Size of sheet: 200 * 146 mm
Size of S/S: 126 * 76 mm
Size of S/S Stamp: 78 * 46 mm
S/S Perforation: 13 * 12.5
Printing process: Photogravure
Printing House: Beijing Postage Stamp Printing Works

Under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, China's high-speed rail has developed rapidly, achieving a series of world-renowned and remarkable achievements in planning and design, engineering construction, technological innovation, equipment manufacturing, operation and management, and other fields. China has become the country with the largest high-speed rail operation scale, the most comprehensive technology, and the richest management experience in the world. In particular, it has successfully developed the Fuxing series China Standard EMU (Electric Multiple Unit) with complete independent intellectual property rights and world advanced level, which operates at 350 km/h on the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway. This has set a new benchmark for the world's high-speed rail operating speed, marking that China's high-speed rail development has entered a brand-new era.

"Achievements in China's High-Speed Rail Development" is a set of commemorative stamps issued by China Post on November 25, 2017, to showcase the development achievements of China's high-speed rail. The set includes 4 stamps and 1 souvenir sheet with the catalog number 2017-29. The themes of the stamps are "High-Speed Rail Construction", "High-Speed EMU Maintenance Yard", "High-Speed Rail Bridges", and "High-Speed Rail Stations" respectively, while the souvenir sheet features the "Fuxing series EMU". The total face value of the full set is 10.80 yuan.

Through the selection of iconic, representative, and visually intuitive scenes or elements for creation and design, the entire set of stamps comprehensively reflects the new development achievements and innovative features of China's high-speed rail from multiple perspectives, covering high-speed rail construction, EMU maintenance yards, railway bridges, railway stations, and the Fuxing series EMU. It meticulously depicts the world-renowned and remarkable achievements of China's high-speed rail in planning and design, engineering construction, technological innovation, equipment manufacturing, operation and management, and other aspects, and artistically displays the new contributions of the railway sector in taking the lead and adding glory to the realization of the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.

The first stamp takes bridge erecting machines, EMU inspection trains, and railway tunnels as the main elements, demonstrating the depth and breadth of high-speed rail construction. The background of viaducts and rolling mountains highlights the difficulty of railway construction.

The second stamp presents the staggered layout of high-speed trains parked at the site—some are in the front, some at the back, rising and falling like piano keys with a sense of rhythm and cadence, and exuding momentum like a fierce dragon crossing the river. It fully showcases the wonderful image of China's self-developed new-generation high-speed trains.

The third stamp features two bridges, one after the other, combining top-down and bottom-up perspectives. The strong upward viewing effect highlights the stability and grandeur of high-speed rail bridges with impressive momentum, reflecting the solid scientific and technological foundation of China's high-speed rail, as well as the new heights of China's high-speed rail bridge engineering technology and the superb construction level.

The fourth stamp demonstrates China's design and planning capabilities in railway passenger station construction, showcasing the brilliant achievements in the construction, operation, and management of China's high-speed rail stations.

The souvenir sheet "Fuxing Series EMU" takes two operating models of the Fuxing EMU as the main design elements. The composition of the EMU body reflects the sense of speed, modernity, and metal texture of the new-type EMU. In the background, the silhouettes of iconic buildings in Beijing and Shanghai are displayed in a montage style, representing the Fuxing EMU shuttling between the two cities, shortening urban distances and facilitating communication. Meanwhile, the row of modern buildings reflects the development driven by technology. The sky uses red and blue colors to set off the cities and the train, embodying a sense of technology and glory. The souvenir sheet is delicate and light with a fresh, relaxed, and romantic style. Moreover, the sky adopts gorgeous red, blue, and purple colors like the morning glow, making it more visually appealing and poetic, which coordinates perfectly with the stamp patterns.