Editing Hongkong Post (section)

== Post boxes ==
Hong Kong imported post-boxes from the UK until the practice was discontinued in the 1980s. Before 1997, the [[post box]]es were painted red, as in the United Kingdom, and were engraved with the [[royal cypher]] – for example, "''EIIR''" to represent [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth II]]. According to fans of Hong Kong's history, featuring the regal insignia on many of the [[George V]] and [[George VI]] post boxes in Hong Kong are unique as they are different in design from other British post boxes in the world.<ref name=20151005hkfp/> Since the transfer of sovereignty to China in 1997, the livery of the boxes became green, and were adorned with the new Hongkong Post logo.<ref name=20151005hkfp>{{cite web|url=https://www.hongkongfp.com/2015/10/05/hongkong-post-to-cover-royal-cyphers-on-59-historic-post-boxes/|title=Hongkong Post to cover royal cyphers on 59 historic post-boxes to 'avoid confusion' |work=Hong Kong Free Press|date=5 October 2015 }}</ref>

[[File:Hong Kong Post street posting box number 110.jpg|thumb|right|HongKong Post box bearing insignia of [[George V|King George V]], made during the colonial era, but painted in green from red after 1997]]
As of October 2015, there are 1,148 free-standing post-boxes in Hong Kong; only 59 colonial post boxes bearing the royal insignia were still in service.<ref name=20151005hkfp/> In late 2014 Hongkong Post reaffirmed its policy that the remaining 59 colonial-era post boxes would only be replaced if they were seriously damaged or no longer meet the demand of its customers.<ref name=20141021ejinsight>{{cite web|url=http://www.ejinsight.com/20141021-hk-to-maintain-post-boxes-with-royal-crown/|title=Politically incorrect? HK to retain post boxes with royal crown|work=EJ Insight}}</ref>

=== Controversy ===
This department of government said in March 2015 that it was considering covering up the regal insignia on these post boxes, on grounds that it was "not desirable to have postboxes that show various royal cyphers from different British reigns" and to "avoid confusion". Controversy ignited in September upon confirmation that royal cyphers would be covered up by fixing metal plates on all but seven of the historical post boxes. The decision was decried by the [[Conservancy Association]], the Mailboxes Searching Team, and activists opposed to the push of pro-Beijing politicians to "de-colonialise" Hong Kong.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ejinsight.com/20151005-hongkong-post-may-cover-up-british-insignia-on-old-mailboxes/|title=Hongkong Post may cover up British insignia on old mailboxes|work=EJ Insight}}</ref><ref name=20151012hkfp>{{cite web|url=https://www.hongkongfp.com/2015/10/12/commerce-and-economic-dev-bureau-ordered-post-office-to-cover-royal-cyphers-in-march-lawmaker-says/|title=Commerce and Economic Dev. Bureau ordered Post Office to cover royal cyphers in March, lawmaker says|work=Hong Kong Free Press|date=12 October 2015 }}</ref> According to legislator Claudia Mo of the Civic Party, senior HK Post officials she talked with affirmed that the order to obscure regal insignia on the 59 colonial post boxes came from the [[Commerce and Economic Development Bureau]] (CEDB), which Mo said pointed to a political and not administrative decision.<ref name=20151012hkfp/>