Despite being linked to the China Mail,[1]: 98  the paper had its own editorial policy that rendered it more independent.

[4] It declared itself to be "the first Chinese Newspaper ever issued under purely native direction".

By March 1874, Chinese Mail was being distributed to foreign countries such as the United States.

[7] In 1941, when the Imperial Japanese Army captured Hong Kong, the newspaper stopped publication.

[6] Although many other major Chinese-language newspapers managed to make a recovery after the occupation, Chinese Mail did not.