Scott No: 2798
Serial number: 1997-17
Values in set: 2
Date of issue: October 9,1997
Designers: Zhang Guizheng
Size: 30*40mm
Perforation: 11.5
Sheet composition: 40
Printing process: gravure

China and New Zealand jointly issued the stamps "Flowers" to promote the friendship between the two peoples.

Rose and Chinese rose belong to the family of rose and genus of rose. There are more than 200 kinds of rose in the world and over 70 in China, most of which are famous ones. After long-time cultivating, crossbreeding and artificial breeding, there have been more than 20,000 kinds of rose in the world. They have always been the most popular and widely planted ornamental plants, playing an important role in the economic and people's lives.

Chinese roses originally grew in China's Liaoning and Shandong provinces. Now they are widely planted in China and other countries. They belong to tussock machaka, and grow as high as two metres. They are resistant to gold and drought; they are light-loving plants, and do not demand much in regards of soil; they grow fast, and their flowering phase is from May to September, and bearing phase from September to October. The flowers of cultivated Chinese roses are large in size, fragrant and colourful, especially the elegant purplish red roses, which can match peonies. Their full-blooming phase is from April to May. Besides its functions as ornamental and greening plants, the fresh flower petals contain 0.03% perfume oil, which is the precious source of essence to produce high-grade cosmetics, food or medicine.

New Zealand rose is a flower the New Zealand people like to plant. The rose in the stamp is called "home of white cloud", which is cultivated by famous thremmatologist Sam Mag, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the establishment of New Zealand. This rose is beautiful, romantic, elegantly light in colour, and clear in gradation of colors. With long flowering phase, it suits humid and warm climate. This flower is known as "the symbol of a young and energetic New Zealand."