Labour Day in China

➡ The history of this holiday in the Middle Kingdom dates back to 1919, when a group of intellectuals in Shanghai initiated the celebration of Labour Day to honor the work of Chinese workers. A year later, in 1920, the first demonstrations took place in China. Residents of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and other cities took to the streets on 1 May and participated in large parades. However, Labour Day was not officially recognised as a Chinese national holiday until December 1949, the year the People’s Republic of China was founded.

➡ During the Cultural Revolution, Labour Day was one of China’s most important holidays. Back then, it was purely political – it was a time of solemn rallies and patriotic parades.

➡ However, over time, the approach to Labour Day in China has changed dramatically. It is now primarily a time of travelling, meeting friends, cultural events and shopping. During the May Day break, many tourist centres and shops offer big discounts, making it a busy time. Interest in tourist attractions is so great that ticket sales are often suspended due to too big interest.

➡ During the Labour Day period, Chinese people have days off. In many companies, including ours, and shipping companies, the break from work is as long as five days. When it comes to factories, the break is a little shorter – they are normally closed from 29 April-3 May. Production of orders is suspended for this period, and these days are not included in the delivery times quoted by suppliers.

The Labour Day holiday, in China, is primarily a time for travel, entertainment and rest. Our business partners are unavailable during this time and factories suspend production. Therefore, we kindly inform you that our Chinese branches will be closed from 1-5 May inclusive, so getting a response from China will be impossible during this time. For urgent matters, please contact us by 28 April at the latest. We apologise for the inconvenience and at the same time wish you a happy long May weekend!