Golden Week 2025
China’s Golden Week of the National Day will take place from October 1 to October 7, 2025, commemorating the founding of the People’s Republic of China. This year, the Mid-Autumn Festival falls within the same period, on October 6. As a result, the holiday extends by one extra day, running until October 8.
Golden Week is one of China’s most significant national holidays, marked by large-scale celebrations, travel, and family gatherings. It provides a major boost to sectors such as retail, hospitality, and transportation. At the same time, it has considerable consequences for international trade and logistics: factories and offices across the country close, while ports and customs remain operational with minimal staffing.
How does Golden Week affect shipments?
In addition to the nationwide closure of Chinese businesses, domestic demand for goods also spikes during Golden Week and the Mid-Autumn Festival. The impact on shipments typically includes:
Pre-Golden Week rush
In the three to four weeks leading up to the holiday, pressure on supply chains intensifies. Manufacturers and exporters aim to ship orders before the shutdown, causing demand for sea and air freight to rise sharply. This often results in:
- overbooked carriers,
- limited trucking and cargo space,
- increasing freight rates.
Shortages in Port Operations
Port staff also take vacations during holidays, leading to a shortage of frontline manpower. The efficiency of port processes such as loading/unloading, customs clearance, and ship scheduling declines, and congestion phenomena such as cargo backlogs and ship queuing even occur.
Surge in Domestic Transportation Demand
The domestic market also sees heightened activity. Consumers stock up ahead of the holiday, while millions travel across the country. This creates additional pressure on road, rail, and air transport, further limiting freight capacity.
Outside of China: shortage of capacity and equipment
Ocean freight carriers tend to prioritize cargo originating from China during Golden Week preparations, which reduces available capacity for shipments from other regions. As a result, shippers in other countries often face delays, with the only practical option being to wait until the backlog is resolved.
Another challenge is equipment availability. Starting in mid-August and continuing through September, containers are increasingly redirected from other Southeast Asian markets to China, creating shortages and further tightening supply.
Post-holiday persistence
The situation does not immediately return to normal after the holiday. Pent-up demand drives another surge in shipments, keeping capacity tight and extending lead times further.
Preparing for Golden Week
Importers and exporters are advised to incorporate Golden Week into their logistics planning well in advance. Key considerations include:
- securing shipping bookings at least 3–4 weeks ahead of the holiday,
- exploring alternative routes or transport modes,
- building buffer stock to minimize supply risks.
Effective preparation reduces the likelihood of disruptions and helps maintain control over costs and delivery timelines.
