Hongkong Post is a department under the Government of Hong Kong responsible for postal services, though operated as a Trading Fund. Founded in 1841, it was known as Postal Department or Post Office before the handover of Hong Kong in 1997. It is sub-member of the Universal Postal Union since 1877, and is a separate entity from China Post. Merchants traded in Hong Kong at the two sides of Victoria Harbour as early as before the British possession in 1842. They complained about the absence of proper postal services and therefore the Postal Department was established. The department was... founded on August 28, 1841 but the first post office , situated near the recent site of St. John's Cathedral, opened later on November 12. At the beginning its right to operation belonged to the Royal Mail until its transfer to the Postmaster General on May 1, 1860. On December 8, 1862, the Office issued the first set of Hong Kong postal stamps. Before that, only British soldiers in Hong Kong could use British stamps while other local residents did not have any.
more