In a cooperation with Communications and Information ministry, Indonesian postal service, PT Pos Indonesia, on Tuesday issued a postal stamp to welcome Chinese New Year, local media reported.

"The new postal stamp was themed "the Year of the Tiger," PT Pos Indonesia President Director I Ketut Marjono was quoted as saying by the Kompas.com on the sidelines of the stamp launching ceremony held at Indonesia's stamp museum.

He said the launching of the Tiger stamp was a continuation from the previous stamps launched by PT Pos Indonesia to commemorate Chinese New Year.

In 2007, the state-run postal service firm launched 12 series of stamps, featuring Chinese zodiac animals.

On February 14, 2007, the Indonesian state-run postal service firm launched 12 series of stamps, featuring Chinese zodiac animals. [File photo from Xinhua]

In 2008, it launched the Mouse stamp, to celebrate the Chinese Year of the Mouse in that year. It was followed by the launch of ox series to mark the Chinese's Year of Ox in 2009.

"Besides being used to send letters, the stamp is a collectible item for postal stamps collectors," Marjono said.

Under the administration of Abdurrahman Wahid, the fourth Indonesian president who ended his term in 2001, Indonesia started to recognize the Chinese culture as part of the national cultures equal to the ones contributed by indigenous people living in more than 17,000 islands across the country.

(Xinhua News Agency February 10, 2010)