In November 1897, two German missionaries were murdered by a mob in Shantung Province, China.  In response, German naval forces occupied the port city of Tsingtau, and the German government used the occupation to press the Chinese government for a long-term lease of the port and the surrounding area. In March 1898, Germany and China entered into a 99-year lease under which Germany would control both sides of the entrance to Kiautschou Bay, as well as the islands within. Around this leased territory would be a small neutral zone which would, in effect, also be under German control.

On 15 January 1910, the Tsingtau-Großhafen post office was opened in the port area of Tsingtau. It did not received its own canceller until 21 February 1910.  Until then, Tsingtau cancellers were used — Fr. 20 / ArGe Kolonien TSINGTAU b KIAUTSCHOU ◆9 in January 1910, Fr. 22 / ArGe Kolonien TSINGTAU KIAUTSCHOU ◆10b in February 1910.

This post office remained open until the early days of World War I, closing in mid-September 1914.