CONFIDENTIAL
XCX(93)55
Holidays Specific to Hong Kong
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Holidays specific to Hong Kong are the Saturday preceding the last Monday in August, and the last Monday in August, being Liberation Day. Although there have been suggestions that these holidays are losing their significance and could be deleted, we believe that -
(a)
(b)
even by 1997 there will still be many people in Hong Kong who were here for some or all of the Japanese occupation, or who lost relatives during that time. They would feel embittered if the Liberation Day holiday were to be deleted; and
the linked Saturday and Monday provide a convenient long weekend at a time of year when there are few general holidays.
It is recommended that these holidays be retained.
Holidays Deriving from United Kingdom Sovereignty
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Holidays deriving from United Kingdom sovereignty are the official birthday of Her Majesty The Queen, and the Monday following the birthday of Her Majesty The Queen, celebrated in June. While it would be inappropriate to retain these two days as holidays after 1997, it is important that they be observed up to and including that year, as a symbol of United Kingdom sovereignty.
ADDITIONAL HOLIDAYS
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It is also appropriate to consider whether any additional holidays, other than those discussed above, should be introduced in or before 1997.
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In many countries including China, the International Labour Day, 1 May, is recognised as a holiday. Over the years, there have been calls by trade unions for 1 May to be adopted as a statutory holiday in Hong Kong. At present, under the Employment Ordinance employees may, with their employer's consent, take one of their two 'floating holidays' on 1 May. As 1 May is a holiday in China, there will be strong expectation by workers that it should also be declared a holiday in Hong Kong.