A million-dollar gamble by Post Office officials on Beijing winning the Olympic Games has paid off as pre-printed stamps commemorating the success went on sale yesterday.
Twelve hours after the International Olympic Committee announced Beijing as host city for the 2008 Games, acting postmaster-general Allan Chiang Yam-wang revealed the joint stamp issue had been planned with Beijing and Macau for six months - to be a 'timely, united' celebration.
Last week, the Post revealed three million commemorative stamps were ready for issue in the event of a Beijing win.
But explaining why there was no prior announcement, Mr Chiang said that Hong Kong was bound by an agreement with Beijing and Macau to keep the issue confidential, adding that the issue was meant to be a surprise and part of a joint celebration under the 'one country sentiment'.
'We had full confidence in Beijing winning, and the fact is it did win as many expected,' he said. 'I think I have to stress that it's a national event, a big national event. You've got to understand that we are under one country. If Beijing and Macau issued stamps today and Hong Kong, as part of the country, did not follow and take part in the joint celebration, wouldn't it be very disappointing?'
The stamps would have been scrapped had Beijing failed in its bid, Mr Chiang said, but refused to reveal how much it would have lost.