The year 1998 bears special significance in the history of China Post. In March 1998, the 1st session of the Ninth National People's Congress approved a bill on restructuring reform in governmental agencies under State Council. As part of the reform package, State Post Bureau announced its establishment, authorized with dual powers: to administer national postal industry and to manage postal enterprises nationwide as well. With active involvement of SPB in it,the post and telecom separating drive was launched and completed at the year end in accordance with the general layout set forth by the Ministry of information industry. The built -up post offices at provincial, regional and county level put an independent and complete national postal system in place. State Post Bureau's set-up well embodies the attention and caring extended to China Post from Central Party Committee and State Council. Meanwhile, the establishment of SPB consolidates the position held by post in the national economy, facilitates the organization of production, operation, and service in line with the law of postal economy and presents panoramic prospects for the development of China Post.

In retrospect, China Post has witnessed continuous corroboration in its overall strength during the long development process. Nowadays, China Post, accessible to anyone,anywhere in China, penetrates into every aspect of social life. An extensive and both domestically and internationally reachable network has taken into shape, Providing universal services within information, commodity and currency circulation channels. Facing the future, the world as well as the information era, China Post is well aware that reform is the only way out and development is the key in hand. We must, proceeding from the specific situation of China, grasp the opportunity, transform our mind, define accordant policies, address the challenges ahead, speed up transforming the growth pattern in postal economy to an intensive one, update with it advancement and acquire the deserved position of China Post in the international arena.

Today, China Post, standing at the critical point of cross-century development, encounters unprecedented difficulties and pressure. However, by virtue of the over 500,000 postal staff and employees across China, China Post has　 every confidence in the fulfillment of the two cross-century development goals' firstly, while meeting the universal　 services obligation with remarkable service performance, to serve the society with diversified products of high-quality, to satisfy needs of every kind from customers and do best to improve social results; secondly, to firmly put postal reform and development forward, streamline operational system, intensify business management, explore service market, be dedicated to the construction of comprehensive capability and committed to turning loss into gain within three years, build up self-developing ability in five years, and manage an enhancement in economic result in final.

Looking forward into 1999, Chinese people will embrace the grand celebration of the 50th anniversary of the People's Republic of China and the return of Macau. For China Post, 1999 is the first year of its independent running. Also in 1999, as the host country, China Post will greet the 22nd UPU Congress to be held in Beijing. All in all, in 1999, the start year for State Post Bureau, we will exert ourselves to a full success in our commitment and a complete fulfillment in the three major goals' to achieve an annual revenue of 36.5 billion yuan; to reduce the deficits by over 40%; to increase the overall productivity by more than 28%. China Post, with high-quality service performance will stand out in a new look in 1999.

Postmaster General of State Post Bureau: Liu Liqing