China Telecom : CHANGE OF COMPANY SECRETARY

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited take no responsibility for the contents of this announcement, make no representation as to its accuracy or completeness and expressly disclaim any liability whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from or in reliance upon the whole or any part of the contents of this announcement.

中国电信股份有限公司

(A joint stock limited company incorporated in the People's Republic of China with limited liability)

The board of directors (the "Board") of China Telecom Corporation Limited (the "Company") announces that due to personal reason, Madam Chu Ka Yee has resigned from her positions as the Company Secretary and Authorised Representative of the Company with effect from 19 December 2016. Madam Chu has confirmed that she has no disagreement with the Board and did not have any matters in relation to her resignation that should be brought to the attention of the shareholders of the Company. The Board would like to express its sincere gratitude to Madam Chu for her sedulous contribution to the Company during her tenure of office.

The Board announces that Mr. Ke Ruiwen, the Executive Director and Executive Vice President, and Madam Wong Yuk Har of the Company have been appointed as the Joint Company Secretaries of the Company with effect from 19 December 2016. Upon the above appointment becoming effective, Mr. Ke and Madam Wong will also act as the Authorised Representatives of the Company.

Mr. Ke Ruiwen is an Executive Director and Executive Vice President of the Company. Mr. Ke obtained a doctorate degree in business administration (DBA) from the ESC Rennes School of Business. Mr. Ke served as Deputy Director General of Jiangxi Posts and Telecommunications Administration, Deputy General Manager of Jiangxi Telecom, Managing Director of the Marketing Department of the Company and China Telecommunications Corporation (the controlling shareholder of the Company), General Manager of Jiangxi Telecom, Managing Director of the Human Resources Department of the Company and China Telecommunications Corporation. He is also a Vice President of China Telecommunications Corporation. Mr. Ke has over 30 years of experience in management and the telecommunications industry and is familiar with the management in finance, auditing, legal and corporate governance, information disclosure and investor relations.

Madam Wong Yuk Har has been working in company secretarial area since she joined the Company in 2008. Madam Wong graduated from the University of New South Wales in Australia with a bachelor degree in commerce. Madam Wong is a Certified Public Accountant of the Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants, a Certified Practising Accountant of CPA Australia, a Fellow Member of The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of United Kingdom and a Fellow Member of The Hong Kong Institute of Chartered Secretaries. Madam Wong has 20 years of experience in accounting, financial management and company secretarial areas.

Mr. Ke currently does not possess the professional qualifications as required under Note 1 to Rule

3.28 of the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities (the "Listing Rules") on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited (the "Stock Exchange"). The Company has applied, and the Stock Exchange has granted, a waiver from strict compliance with Rules 3.28 and 8.17 of the Listing Rules (the "Waiver") with respect to the appointment of Mr. Ke as a Joint Company Secretary of the Company for a period of three years from the date of appointment (the "Waiver Period") on the conditions that (i) Mr. Ke will be assisted by Madam Wong during the Waiver Period; (ii) the Company shall notify the Stock Exchange at the end of the Waiver Period for the Stock Exchange to re-visit the situation. The Stock Exchange expects that, after the end of the Waiver Period, the Company will be able to demonstrate that Mr. Ke satisfies Rules 3.28 and 8.17 of the Listing Rules, having had the benefit of Madam Wong's assistance such that a further waiver will not be necessary; and (iii) the Company will announce the details of the Waiver. The Waiver applies to this case only and will be revoked immediately if and when Madam Wong ceases to provide assistance to Mr. Ke. The Stock Exchange may withdraw or change the Waiver if the Company's situation changes.

The Board would like to extend its warmest welcome to Mr. Ke and Madam Wong for taking up the appointment.

By Order of the Board

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Beijing, China, 19 December 2016

As at the date of this announcement, the Board of Directors of the Company consists of Mr. Yang Jie (as the chairman and chief executive officer); Mr. Yang Xiaowei (as the president and chief operating officer); Mr. Sun Kangmin and Mr. Ke Ruiwen (all as the executive vice presidents); Mr. Tse Hau Yin, Aloysius, Madam Cha May Lung, Laura, Mr. Xu Erming and Madam Wang Hsuehming (all as the independent non-executive directors).