China Revises National Holiday System

The changes, announced Sunday night by China's Cabinet, will bring back three traditional one-day holidays and let workers take paid vacations at times other than officially-set breaks.

Previously, the government had designated three weeks out of each year as national vacation times, when most factories and offices closed.

Under the changes, which start next year, the weeklong May Day vacation will be replaced by three traditional, one-day holidays: grave-sweeping day, the dragon boat festival and the mid-autumn festival, scattered throughout the year. May Day itself will be a separate one-day holiday.

The total number of national holidays will be increased by one day to a total of 11 a year.

The existing schedule was created in 1999. With China's subsequent economic boom, people are traveling more and severely straining transportation facilities.

China's official Xinhua News Agency said the government also announced that employees of government agencies, as well as state-run and private companies, will be able to take paid vacations after one year of service.

Employees who have worked for less than 10 years will get five paid days off each year, while those who have worked between 10 and 19 years will get 10 days. Those who have worked for at least 20 years will get 15 days.