French post offices in China

thumb|French stamp overprinted for use in China, 1894

thumb|French stamp overprinted with Chinese currency face value in French and Chinese

The French post offices in China were among the post offices maintained by foreign powers in China from the mid-19th century until 1922. In 1862, the first civilian French post office in China was opened in Shanghai. Initially, the French government used ordinary French postage stamps (e.g. Napoleon III, Laureated Empire, Ceres, Sage) issues for these offices. These forerunner stamps can be shown to have been sold or used in China only by a postmark. For example, stamps used in Shanghai prior to 1894 can only be identified by diamond-shaped cancel made of a type referred to (in French) as a "losange à gros chiffres" with the numbers "5104" in the center of the cancel or a Shanghai c.d.s. There are actually two types of "5104" obliterators differ by the shape of the "4", one straight and the other curved.

Operation

Unlike other foreign post offices in China, the French operated two distinct types of post offices in China. Offices of the first type, typically located in French concessions and mostly in northern China, were run directly by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The offices of the second type, also referred to as the "Indochinese Offices" were located in southern China and operated under the direction of the postal administration of the nearby colony of French Indochina.

Run by France

The Paris-run Post Offices in China and their opening dates are as follows:

1862

Shanghai (spelled as "Shang-haï" in the French postmark of the period)

1889

Tianjin (Tien-tsin)

1898

Hankou (Han-kéou)
Zhifu (Tché-fou)

1900

Arsenal Pagoda
Beijing (Pékin)
Fuzhou (Fou-Tchéou)
Ningbo (Ning-po)

1902

Xiamen (Amoy)

For the above post offices, the French government issued stamps of the "Peace and Commerce" series overprinted with the word "CHINE" beginning in 1894. Stamp issues of the 20th century initially included overprints applied to some of the stamps issued for use in French Indochina, and continued with stamps printed specifically for use in China. Some earlier 20th century stamps were issued only with face values expressed in French francs, but all later issues were overprinted with the equivalent of the stamp's Chinese currency face value expressed in both French and Chinese.

In addition to ordinary postage stamps, France also issued postal stationery and postage due stamps for use at the Paris-run Chinese post offices.

Run by French Indochina

right|thumb|French Indochina stamp overprinted for use in [[Kouang-Tchéou-Wan]]

right|thumb|Two stamps of the French colony of Indochine overprinted for use in Pak-Hoi ([[Beihai)]]

right|thumb|French Indochina stamp overprinted for use in [[Mongtseu]]

The post offices run by French Indochina differed from the other French Post Offices in China in a number of areas. Initially, the general issues of the Paris-run French Offices in China (c. 1902–1904) were used, and these can be found with postmarks applied by the Indochinese offices. Shortly thereafter, stamps were issued with overprints specific to the office that issued them. For instance, the Canton office issued stamps overprinted "CANTON" rather than "CHINE". Seven such Indochinese post offices had these overprints (here written as they appeared on the stamps) along with their opening dates: if they had not been closed earlier.

- The remainder stocks of the Indochinese office issues were called back by the French Indochina postal authorities and used up in Indochina and Kouang Tchéou Wan. They are seen on commercially used covers, also used in mixed frank with regular issues, until the mid-1930s. Particular the stocks of high denomination stamps took a long time to be exhausted.

Guangzhouwan

One notable exception to this were the post offices in Kouang-Tchéou-Wan, which was a territory leased by treaty to France for a 99-year period starting in 1898. This arrangement is comparable to that of the New Territories in Hong Kong.

As it remained a leased territory even after 1922, Kouang-Tchéou-Wan was the only French postal entity in China to issue airmail stamps and semi-postal stamps, though most of these were issued by the government of Vichy France. Due to war-time conditions and the fact that the colonial authorities in Kouang-Tchéou-Wan did not recognize the Vichy government, Vichy-issued stamps for Kouang Tchéou Wan were never placed in use there.