China Public Holidays 2026

Kristina Coluccia
3 days ago
3 min read

Public holidays in Mainland China are never just diary dates. They affect factory output, logistics timelines, tax filing windows, banking access and senior decision-maker availability. For international businesses operating in or with China, understanding the 2026 holiday calendar early helps prevent avoidable disruption.

While the final holiday arrangements are formally confirmed by the State Council closer to year-end, the core holiday structure is well established. Planning now allows finance, operations and regional teams to align expectations well ahead of peak periods. China Public Holidays 2026 Summary Table

Holiday	Dates (2026)	Duration
New Year’s Day	1–3 Jan	3 days
Spring Festival	15–23 Feb	9 days
Qingming Festival	4–6 Apr	3 days
Labour Day	1–5 May	5 days
Dragon Boat Festival	19–21 Jun	3 days
Mid-Autumn Festival	25–27 Sep	3 days
National Day (Golden Week)	1–7 Oct	7 days

Final dates and any compensatory working weekends are typically announced later in the year, and these adjustments are where many planning issues arise.

Why China’s Holiday System Requires Active Management

China’s public holiday model differs from most Western systems. Extended breaks are created by shifting weekends into working days, which can result in:

Consecutive six- or seven-day working weeks either side of a holiday
Unexpected staff unavailability if teams take additional leave
Slower approvals from banks, tax bureaux and local authorities
Production and shipping bottlenecks around Golden Week and Spring Festival

For overseas headquarters unfamiliar with this structure, delays can appear sudden when they are, in fact, predictable.

Key Business Impacts to Watch in 2026

Manufacturing and supply chains Spring Festival remains the most disruptive period of the year. Many factories slow operations weeks in advance and do not resume full capacity immediately afterwards. Labour mobility around this period can also affect staffing levels beyond the official holiday.

Finance, tax and compliance Tax filings, annual reporting and audit coordination should avoid major holiday periods. Local tax authorities and banks may operate with reduced staffing or close entirely during extended breaks.

Corporate governance and decision-making Senior executives and government contacts are often unavailable during national holidays, which can stall approvals, registrations or negotiations if not anticipated.

Cross-border coordination Misalignment between China holidays and Western working calendars frequently causes internal friction. Clear internal communication helps manage expectations across regions.

Practical Planning Steps for 2026

To minimise disruption, businesses should consider:

Building holiday buffers into production, reporting and cash-flow timelines
Finalising key filings and approvals well before Spring Festival and Golden Week
Aligning China holiday calendars with group-wide planning tools
Briefing non-China teams on compensatory working days and extended shutdowns
Confirming supplier and logistics partner schedules early in the year

Handled well, China’s holiday calendar can become a planning advantage rather than a risk. Businesses that factor these cycles into operational design tend to experience fewer last-minute issues and stronger relationships with local partners and authorities.

Woodburn Accountants & Advisors is one of China and Hong Kong’s most trusted business setup advisory firms.

Woodburn Accountants & Advisors is specialized in inbound investment to China and Hong Kong. We focus on eliminating the complexities of corporate services and compliance administration. We help clients with services ranging from trademark registration and company incorporation to the full outsourcing solution for accounting, tax, and human resource services. Our advisory services can be tailor-made based on the companies’ objectives, goals and needs which vary depending on the stage they are at on their journey.