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Time zones in China

China has 2 distinct clock rules in the time zone database, with 2 standard offsets from UTC+6 to UTC+8. There is no daylight saving time in 2026.

UTC+6 (Asia/Urumqi)8:08 PMThu, Oct 22 · UTC+6

Urumqi, Shihezi, Kashgar, Yining

China Standard Time10:08 PMThu, Oct 22 · UTC+8

Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Wuhan

Time zones
25 IANA identifiers
UTC offsets used in 2026
UTC+6, UTC+8
Daylight saving
Not observed
Dialing code
+86
National holidays in 2026
15Public and bank holidays

What to know about time in China

China officially uses a single time, China Standard Time (UTC+8), across a territory that spans about five geographic time zones. It has not used daylight saving since 1991.

The IANA database also includes Asia/Urumqi (UTC+6) because many people in Xinjiang use an informal local time. Government, transport, and most business still run on Beijing time, so check which one a contact means.

China’s time zones in 2026

Zones with identical rules are grouped. Calculated from the IANA time zone database at build time; local dates.

Time zoneOffsetsClock changes in 2026Major places
UTC+6 (Asia/Urumqi)
Asia/Urumqi, Asia/Kashgar		UTC+6NoneUrumqi, Shihezi, Kashgar, Yining, Aksu, Shache, Yumen, Hami
31 places in our search index
China Standard Time
Asia/Shanghai, Asia/Chongqing, Asia/Harbin		UTC+8NoneShanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Tianjin, Chongqing, Dongguan, Shenzhen
369 places in our search index

Place assignments come from an open city dataset and can contain errors. Examples far from their zone are hidden. Search any place in the converter to check its zone.

Upcoming national holidays in China

Offices and banks are often closed, which matters as much as the time difference when you schedule. National public and bank holidays only; regional and many religious holidays are not listed.

DateHoliday
Fri, Jan 1, 2027New Year's Day
Fri, Feb 5, 2027Spring Festival
Sat, Feb 6, 2027Spring Festival
Sun, Feb 7, 2027Spring Festival
Mon, Mar 8, 2027International Women's Day
Mon, Apr 5, 2027Qingming Festival
Sat, May 1, 2027Labour Day
Tue, May 4, 2027Youth Day
Tue, Jun 1, 2027Children's Day
Wed, Jun 9, 2027Dragon Boat Festival
Sun, Aug 1, 2027Army Day
Wed, Sep 15, 2027Mid-Autumn Festival

Source: date-holidays (CC BY 3.0), generated 2026-10-22. Governments can add or move holidays; confirm important dates locally. About our data.

Questions about time in China

How many time zones does China have?

The time zone database groups China into 2 distinct sets of clock rules: UTC+6 (Asia/Urumqi) (UTC+6); China Standard Time (UTC+8). Officially, though, all of China uses Beijing time; the UTC+6 zone reflects informal local practice in Xinjiang.

Does China observe daylight saving time?

No. China keeps the same offset all year in 2026.

What are the national public holidays in China in 2026?

New Year's Day (January 1), Spring Festival (February 16), Spring Festival (February 17), Spring Festival (February 18), International Women's Day (March 8), Qingming Festival (April 5), Labour Day (May 1), Youth Day (May 4), Children's Day (June 1), Dragon Boat Festival (June 19), Army Day (August 1), Mid-Autumn Festival (September 25), National Day (October 1), National Day (October 2), National Day (October 3).

City guides in China

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