China releases Year of the Horse stamps amid collector enthusiasm

China Post has issued annual zodiac stamps since 1980, with each collection garnering intense interest from the philatelic community. For the first time, China Post broke professional barriers this year by using a dual-track selection process, combining public submissions with expert and popular voting.

"It is not only a breakthrough in design but a vivid practice of sharing cultural development with the people," said Liu Aili, chairman of China Post Group Corporation Limited.

The sentiment was shared by a public juror spotted in a queue in Beijing on Monday. "I participated in the voting and review process three months ago," he told local media. "Seeing the stamps I helped choose finally go on sale makes this collection incredibly meaningful to me."

Monday's release includes 26.68 million sets of the basic stamps, alongside specialized formats and booklets. A joint souvenir sheet featuring stamp designs from the postal departments of the Chinese mainland, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macao Special Administrative Region was unveiled on the same day.

The stamps will be available for six months at designated postal outlets and through various online platforms, including the China Post app and official WeChat stores.