The first Chinese stamps bearing the image of the famous cartoon character Snoopy was issued at the Artron Art Gallery in Shenzhen yesterday, as part of the Second China (Shenzhen) International Cultural Industry Fair (ICIF) activities.

Li Kaile, head of the city's post management, said there were the country's first stamps carrying a cartoon character.

"They are also the first stamps in the country that can be pasted on envelopes directly without using glue," Li said.

Accompanying Snoopy on the stamps is a traditional Chinese phoenix, an auspicious creature in Chinese culture.

"The idea of the stamps is bringing the culture of China and the United States together, with a crossover of the two countries' symbol," said Shenzhen Vice Mayor Liang Daoxing.

The stamp package, designed by famed designer Wang Huming, is on sale nationwide.

In each package, there are 10 different kinds of Snoopy stamps and a first-day cover designed specially for International Children's Day on June 1.

The first 5,000 packages for the province arrived yesterday. The stamps and cover, priced at 35 yuan (US$4.38), can be purchased from most post offices in Shenzhen.

Snoopy is the name of Charlie Brown's pet beagle in the long-running comic strip "Peanuts," created by Charles M. Shultz in 1950. It is one of the most successful cartoon features worldwide, appearing in more than 2,000 newspapers.

The cartoon and animation industry is one of the industries showcased in this year's ICIF.

(Shenzhen Daily May 18, 2006)