France wins bid to print Universiade Taipei commemorative stamps

Paris--France's national postal operator La Poste has won the contract to print the Universiade Taipei 2017 commemorative stamps, which will be issued by Taiwan's Chunghwa Post Co., an official said Thursday.

It is the first time that the two sides will work together, according to Chunghwa Post Chairman Ong Wen-chyi (???), who is currently on a visit in France.

Ong said Chunghwa Post issues 20 to 22 sets of stamps every year, some of which require special materials and printing skills.

The commemorative stamps for the Universiade Taipei, for example, have a delicate design that requires a process of printing not available in Taiwan, he said.

An international tender by Chunghwa Post attracted bidders from three countries, and La Poste emerged as the winner, he said.

The stamp printing quality in France is "a combination of artistic skills and high technology," said Ong, who visited La Poste's printing plant in Perigueux on his current trip.

For example, La Poste's plant has printed not only soccer-themed stamps with the smell of grass, but also stamps made of metallic and cork materials, he said.

Gilles Livchitz, director of Phil@poste, the unit responsible for the management of philatelic issues under the La Poste group, said the company's printing plant has a long history and is equipped with all kinds of technologies for postal printing.

With more than 500 employees, the plant is capable of printing high quality stamps for countries around the world and has been printing stamps for Japan for the past three years, Livchitz said.

Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel