Chinanews, Beijing, March 2 – Currently, opinion-solicitation is going on as regards the proposals on adding more traditional Chinese festivals on the list of legal holidays. One plan suggests that the two 7-day holidays of the Labor Day (starting on May 1) and the National Day (starting on October 1) should be cut short, but Qingming (the Tomb-sweeping Day) and the Mid-Autumn Day should become new legal holidays to make up for the loss of the days off.

 

The plan was released at the 3rd High-level Forum of Social Development Policies of China on February 28 by the State Development and Reform Commission (SDRC).

 

SDRC has solicited opinions of people of various social strata. Zhai Zhenwu, the director of the School of Population and Sociological Studies of the Renmin University of China, also gave his comment on the plan.

 

“Though there are different plans for adding new legal holidays, all of them are oriented to promoting our culture,” said Zhai.

 

There are other plans that are meant to prolong the two 7-day holidays, but they are not widely accepted.

 

“This plan is very practicable, and I think it will be carried out in 2008, ” concluded Zhai.