China Business Calendar 2026
Every public holiday, traditional festival, shopping peak and trade-fair period of 2026 — with official status in Mainland China and Hong Kong, typical business impact, and planning advice for importers. Dates verified against the State Council holiday notice and the Hong Kong Government Gazette.
2026 make-up working days (Mainland China) Sunday Jan 4, Saturday Feb 14, Saturday Feb 28, Saturday May 9, Sunday Sep 20 and Saturday Oct 10 are official working days that compensate for the extended holidays — factories, offices and banks work on these dates.
January 2026
New Year's Day
Dates Jan 1–3 (Mainland) · Jan 1 (HK)
Significance The Gregorian new year opens the year quietly; the real reset in China comes at Spring Festival.
Business impact Mainland offices and many factories close Jan 1–3 and work Sunday Jan 4 instead; Hong Kong closes Jan 1 only.
Planning advice Expect slower replies in the first days of January; confirm December shipments before the break.
February 2026
Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) — Year of the Horse
Dates Feb 15–23 (Mainland) · Feb 17–19 (HK) — New Year's Day Feb 17
Significance China's most important holiday: hundreds of millions travel home and business life pauses nationwide.
Business impact Factories wind down 1–2 weeks before Feb 15 and take 2–4 weeks to regain full output; freight tightens and rates rise from late January. Make-up workdays: Sat Feb 14 and Sat Feb 28.
Planning advice Place orders by mid-December and book freight by mid-January; expect quotes and samples to resume from early March.
Customs & trends Red envelopes (hongbao), reunion dinners, fireworks and the greeting “gongxi facai”.
March 2026
Lantern Festival
Dates Mar 3
Significance The 15th day of the lunar new year closes the Spring Festival period with lantern displays and sweet rice balls (tangyuan).
Business impact Not an official day off, but many factories only reach full staffing after it — the practical end of the CNY slowdown.
Planning advice Treat the first week of March as the true restart for production follow-ups.
Customs & trends Lantern riddles and tangyuan symbolising family unity.
April 2026
Easter break (Hong Kong)
Dates Apr 3–7 (HK)
Significance Good Friday, Easter Monday and the Ching Ming substitute combine into a five-day Hong Kong break in 2026.
Business impact Hong Kong banks, traders and logistics offices largely close Apr 3–7; the mainland rests only Apr 4–6.
Planning advice Settle Hong Kong banking and documentation before Apr 2; expect slow HK responses until Apr 8.
Qingming Festival (Tomb-Sweeping Day)
Dates Apr 4–6 (Mainland) · Apr 5, observed Apr 7 (HK)
Significance Families honour ancestors by tending graves — one of China's oldest observances.
Business impact A three-day mainland break with heavy intercity travel; with Easter it creates a long Hong Kong pause.
Planning advice Minor production impact; just avoid scheduling inspections or meetings across the break.
Customs & trends Grave-sweeping, willow branches and spring outings.
Canton Fair — 139th Session (Spring)
Dates Apr 15 – May 5 · Guangzhou (three phases)
Significance China's largest trade fair, held in Guangzhou since 1957. Phase 1 (Apr 15–19): electronics, machinery, vehicles, hardware. Phase 2 (Apr 23–27): home, gifts, building materials, furniture. Phase 3 (May 1–5): textiles, fashion, toys, health, food.
Business impact Guangzhou hotels and flights fill weeks ahead; suppliers concentrate launches and their best pricing around the fair.
Planning advice Register as a buyer online in advance and book hotels 4–6 weeks early. Venue: Canton Fair Complex, 382 Yuejiang Zhong Rd, Haizhu. LinkWin arranges invitations, interpreters, transport and factory visits around the fair.
May 2026
Labour Day holiday
Dates May 1–5 (Mainland) · May 1 (HK)
Significance A five-day mainland break and one of the year's biggest domestic travel and retail peaks.
Business impact Factories close up to five days; Canton Fair Phase 3 runs May 1–5, keeping Guangzhou hotels full. Make-up workday: Sat May 9.
Planning advice Book April inspections early and expect pre-holiday shipping congestion in late April.
Buddha's Birthday (Hong Kong)
Dates May 24, observed May 25 (HK)
Significance A Hong Kong public holiday marked by temple ceremonies and the Cheung Chau Bun Festival season.
Business impact Hong Kong offices are closed Monday May 25; the mainland works normally.
Planning advice Just a long Hong Kong weekend — schedule around the Monday.
June 2026
Dragon Boat Festival (Duanwu / Tuen Ng)
Dates Jun 19–21 (Mainland) · Jun 19 (HK)
Significance Commemorates the poet Qu Yuan with dragon-boat races and sticky-rice dumplings (zongzi).
Business impact A three-day mainland break just before the summer shipping peak.
Planning advice Confirm June production mid-month and pre-book July freight as peak season begins.
Customs & trends Dragon-boat races and zongzi gifts between business partners.
July 2026
HKSAR Establishment Day
Dates Jul 1 (HK)
Significance Marks the 1997 establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
Business impact Hong Kong closes for the day; the mainland is unaffected.
Planning advice Avoid Hong Kong banking cut-offs on Jul 1.
August 2026
Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine's Day)
Dates Aug 19
Significance The lovers' festival of the cowherd and weaver girl — now a major romance-retail moment.
Business impact No day off; strong e-commerce and gifting sales in jewellery, flowers and cosmetics.
Planning advice Consumer brands should have Qixi campaigns and stock in place by late July.
Customs & trends Couples' gifts and limited-edition product drops.
September 2026
Mid-Autumn Festival
Dates Sep 25–27 (Mainland) · day after festival, Sep 26 (HK)
Significance Families reunite under the full moon and exchange mooncakes — second only to Chinese New Year in emotional weight.
Business impact A three-day mainland break flowing almost straight into Golden Week; make-up workday Sun Sep 20. Mooncake gifting drives corporate purchasing all September.
Planning advice Treat late September and Golden Week as one long slowdown — ship September orders by Sep 18.
Customs & trends Mooncake gift boxes for clients and staff; lantern displays in Hong Kong's Victoria Park.
October 2026
National Day — Golden Week
Dates Oct 1–7 (Mainland) · Oct 1 (HK)
Significance The PRC's founding anniversary opens a seven-day national holiday — the year's second-biggest shutdown after Chinese New Year.
Business impact Factories and ports slow for a week while hundreds of millions travel. Make-up workdays: Sun Sep 20 and Sat Oct 10. With Mid-Autumn, late September to mid-October is effectively low-output.
Planning advice Place pre-Golden-Week orders by late August and book October freight early — rates spike after reopening.
Customs & trends Flag-raising ceremonies, a domestic tourism surge and wedding season.
Canton Fair — 140th Session (Autumn)
Dates Oct 15 – Nov 4 · Guangzhou (three phases)
Significance The 70th-anniversary autumn session, phased Oct 15–19, Oct 23–27 and Oct 31–Nov 4 with the same product sequence as spring.
Business impact Runs straight out of Golden Week — Guangzhou is stretched from early October to early November.
Planning advice Combine fair visits with supplier audits in the Pearl River Delta — we schedule both in one trip.
Double Ninth / Chung Yeung Festival
Dates Oct 18, observed Oct 19 (HK)
Significance Families climb heights and honour elders and ancestors on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month.
Business impact A Hong Kong public holiday on Monday Oct 19; a traditional observance (not a day off) on the mainland.
Planning advice Minor impact — just avoid Hong Kong settlements on Oct 19.
Customs & trends Hill-climbing outings and chrysanthemum motifs.
November 2026
China International Import Expo (CIIE)
Dates Nov 5–10 · Shanghai (NECC)
Significance The state-level import expo at the National Exhibition and Convention Center, where foreign producers sell into China.
Business impact Shanghai hotels surge; Chinese distributors and state buyers attend en masse.
Planning advice For exporters to China this is the flagship entry point — exhibitor slots require months of lead time.
Singles' Day (Double 11)
Dates Nov 11
Significance The world's largest shopping festival, built by Alibaba into a weeks-long retail event.
Business impact E-commerce warehouses, couriers and packaging suppliers run at capacity from late October; consumer-goods factories are booked out well before.
Planning advice Selling into China: lock inventory and campaigns by September. Buying from China: expect courier congestion Nov 1–20.
Customs & trends Livestream shopping marathons and platform mega-promotions.
December 2026
Double 12 Shopping Festival
Dates Dec 12
Significance The year-end echo of Singles' Day, focused on smaller merchants and clearance.
Business impact A second courier surge in mid-December, overlapping Christmas export peaks.
Planning advice Ship Christmas-market goods well before December; domestic couriers slow mid-month.
Christmas
Dates Dec 25–26 (HK) · normal workdays (Mainland)
Significance A public holiday in Hong Kong and a retail moment in mainland cities, though not a day off there.
Business impact Hong Kong closes Dec 25–26; mainland factories work while Western customers pause — order books go quiet and year-end shipping deadlines land in early December.
Planning advice For Christmas retail in Western markets, goods should leave China by late October–November.
Customs & trends Mall light displays and “peace apples” gifted on Christmas Eve in mainland cities.
Sources: State Council 2026 holiday notice; Hong Kong Government Gazette; official fair organisers. Details can change — reconfirm before committing bookings.