# Golden Week

*Last updated: 2026-09-19*

> Golden Week is the week-long Chinese public holiday period around National Day on 1 October.

Golden Week is the week-long Chinese public holiday period around National Day on 1 October. The State Council sets the exact dates each year; in 2026 it runs from 1 to 7 October, offset by two make-up working days on 20 September and 10 October. During this week a large share of Chinese manufacturing stands still, and customs offices, forwarders and terminal operators work on reduced schedules. Ocean freight feels this twice: demand for space surges before the holiday as exporters rush cargo out, and during and after the week carriers cancel departures (blank sailings) and reshuffle schedules. The logistical aftermath routinely lasts longer than the holiday itself, because backlogs clear only over several vessel rotations. A second, comparable holiday period falls around Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) in January or February. China's Golden Week should not be confused with the Japanese Golden Week in late April and early May.

**Source:** Staatsrat der Volksrepublik China, Feiertagsregelung 2026 (Guobanfa Mingdian [2025] Nr. 7); english.www.gov.cn

## Quick Facts

| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Term | Golden Week |
| Language | EN |
| Word count | 150 |
| Last updated | 2026-09-19 |
| Source | Staatsrat der Volksrepublik China, Feiertagsregelung 2026 (Guobanfa Mingdian [2025] Nr. 7); english.www.gov.cn |

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