BEIJING, June 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Zodiac-themed postage stamps that highlight meaningful elements of Chinese culture have always been popular among collectors of Chinese stamps. A noted purveyor of products with Chinese cultural themes, China Today International, presented a commemorative gold and silver edition of Chinese zodiac stamps to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on June 19^th.

As a representative of one of the leading firms in China specializing in visibility of Chinese culture on the world stage, China Today International chief strategist Peng Binge was invited, in concert with the United States Congressional Caucus, to the New York headquarters of the United Nations, where he attended seminars on the international cultural exchanges. He presented to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon a collection of Chinese zodiac stamps made of gold and silver from China Today International's facilities.

The collection is a set of stamps finely cast from the two precious metals and issued to commemorate the 35^th anniversary of the release of China's first zodiac stamp. No such stamp in commemoration of the Chinese Zodiac made of precious metals has been issued before. The limited edition commemorative stamps have been approved by China Post. The master stamp engraver of the 1980 Year of the Monkey stamp, Jiang Weijie, as well as 12 master engravers specializing in zodiac stamps worked together to create the unique commemorative collection, whereby each stamp personifies the style of each engraver and showcases the cultural appeal and charisma of Chinese culture.

Mr. Peng explained, in China's quest for consensus around the world and for expanding cooperation, Chinese culture is a critical part of the appeal of the country and the interest in the country expressed by the fans of the culture and of the significance of that culture. The country's sophisticated culture serves as a bridge across the world so audiences can learn about, understand and fall in love with China. Efforts continue in different regions around the world and through a multitude of channels to expand the understanding and appreciation for Chinese culture. The era of globalization opens up many new possibilities for promoting and spreading knowledge about Chinese culture around the world and to be more open to learning about Chinese culture and traditions. The changing times present an immense opportunity for Chinese cultural firms who seek to "spread the word."

Mr. Peng added that, China is gaining more attention and supporters who express sincere appreciation of Chinese culture, termed as China Fever as well as Collection Fever - have never been more fervent, especially "Chinese collections that can tell stories." Such collections not only provide richer and more appealing cultural connections to collectors worldwide, but also showcase a certain profile of China's development, which is another method of drawing the interest of people who wish to be more intimately involved with China.

China Today International is an all-encompassing cultural company dedicated to creating, designing, producing, selling and promoting cultural souvenirs and collections representative of the country's traditional and modern cultures. It has participated in the hosting and management of major cultural events, including the Beijing Olympic Games, the 60^th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Shanghai World Expo, the 2012 London Olympic Games and the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. The company has established a long-term strategic partnership with both China's national post system and the country's banking system in addition to having wide-ranging collaborative relationships including shared platforms with cultural institutes and heritage organizations under the aegis of the National Palace Museum.

SOURCE China Today International