2345. 🇭🇰 Hong Kong Post Takes Part In Chinese Belt And Road Minibus.

 

New issues.

7 September 2023 - 10th anniversary of the Chinese Belt and Road programme - 1 miniature sheet containing a single stamp and 1 booklet containing a pane of 4 identical stamps issued by the postal service of The People’s Republic of China and 1 miniature sheet each issued by Hong Kong Post and the postal service of Macao. Rating:- *****.

  This is a fascinating issue publicising the Chinese government’s Belt and Road policy which was designed to expand its trade, power and influence globally and which has engulfed large numbers of countries - 151 so far - including a number of Commonwealth countries, by which the Chinese government makes loans to these states to fund infrastructure developments and sometimes plain vanity projects which the countries may not be able to pay back. This has been described as a form of debt trap diplomacy associated with neocolonialism and economic imperialism. In recent years, stamp collectors have seen propaganda associated with it in the form of numerous stamp issues, sponsored by the Chinese government and donated to ‘partner countries’, which commemorate the ‘friendly ties’ of the countries with China, often related to anniversaries of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two sides.

  The ‘belt’ part of the term refers to the road and rail overland trade routes to and from China and is short for the “Silk Road Economic Belt” while the ‘Road’ part refers to the “21st century maritime silk road’ - the Indo-Pacific sea routes, both by which Chinese influence, trade and power may expand.

  The subject of this issue, as the West comes to terms with its growing conflict of interests with the Chinese super power, is very interesting for collectors who are looking for stamps which highlight important aspects of modern history.

🇮🇳 India Post - My Stamp personalised stamps usually issued in sheetlets of 12 identical stamps with attached labels and sold at a premium - 

2023 - 50th anniversary of the Goods and Services Tax Council - 1 stamp.

🇬🇬 Guernsey Post -

Tweets reporting Post and Go issues with additional one day only inscriptions commemorating visiting cruise ships -

24 July 2023 - Return visit of the Ventura.