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Local gov'ts asked to stick to national holidays plan

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-03-26 13:55

BEIJING  -- China's State Council Thursday asked local governments to "strictly" observe regulations on national holidays.

The Cabinet's announcement came one day after the southern Guangdong Province said it would resume the week-long May Day holiday this year in a bid to revive the economy.

Previously, workers were expected to work one weekend either side of May 1. They had three days holiday and two days in lieu for the weekend they worked. These five days around the weekend closest to May 1 gave seven consecutive days off work.

However, the government decided in December 2007 to cut the May 1 holiday to a three-day break, comprising one holiday day plus two days in lieu of the weekend.