Zi CORPORATION
NEWS RELEASE

For immediate release (Calgary, AB Canada)
June 28, 2000


Zi captures a larger slice of China’s domestic market

Calgary, AB (June 28, 2000) - Zi Corporation (NASDAQ: ZICA) (TSE: ZIC) has sealed a licensing agreement with a seventh designated Chinese domestic handset manufacturer, Ningbo Bird Co. Ltd. This is the latest contract win for Zi in a series of agreements with leading Chinese handset manufacturers. Zi’s predictive software, eZiText™, will be embedded in Bird’s new series of GSM phones. The phones, which will be launched in early 2001, will be equipped with eZiText in simplified Chinese (pinyin and stroke-based) and English.

"Domestic manufacturers like Bird, will play a key role in setting the standards for Chinese user interface," says Antoine Blondeau, president and chief operating officer at Zi. "This licensing agreement with Bird, demonstrates the market acceptance for our technology and the confidence that Zi has earned with Chinese manufacturers."

Currently, Bird is the second largest manufacturer of pagers sold in China and is moving quickly to introduce mobile phones to the market. It is estimated that by 2001, Bird will be the fourth largest GSM manufacturer in China.

"We chose eZiText as an input solution because of Zi’s proven experience in China," said Xu Xiguang, vice general manager, Ningbo Bird. "Zi’s worldwide presence and local support makes them an excellent long term partner that will enhance our mobile phone offering."

Bird is known for its strong emphasis on research and development, and has won several national awards. The company introduced its first mobile phone, RC838, in 1999. Ningbo Bird Co. trades on the Shanghai Stock Exchange.

Zi Corporation is a leading provider of embedded software technology and educational products. The company’s core product, eZiText™ connects people to short messaging, email, e-commerce, web browsing, and similar applications in almost any written language. Zi’s wholly owned subsidiary, Oztime.com, is China’s first Web-based education service provider. Zi supports its strategic partners from offices in Calgary, Beijing, Hong Kong, San Francisco, Shenzhen and Stockholm. A publicly traded company, Zi Corporation is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market (ZICA) and the Toronto Stock Exchange (ZIC).

Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The information in this press release is based on Zi Corporation’s current expectation and assumptions, and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. Such risks include, among others, general business and economic conditions and competitive actions as well as the risks and uncertainties referred to in Zi Corporation’s 20-F for the most recent calendar year.

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For further information, please contact:

Karen Attwell
Manager, Investor/Media Relations
Phone: (403) 233-8875
Email: investor@zicorp.com
Web site: www.zicorp.com
 Xu Xiguang
Ningbo Bird Co. Inc.
Vice General Manager
Phone: 86-574-8927534
Email: xgxu@mail.nbptt.zj.cn
Web site: www.chinabird.com

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