Hong Kong lawmakers approve plan to add 5 new statutory holidays by 2030, with Buddha’s Birthday first in line

Hong Kong lawmakers on Wednesday approved a government proposal to increase the number of statutory holidays from 12 to 17 by 2030, overruling unionists and pro-business legislators who had sought to change the time frame for the plan’s implementation.

Secretary for Labour and Welfare Law Chi-kwong told lawmakers the administration had considered the interests of both the labour and business sectors, as well as Hong Kong’s overall economic situation, in formulating the proposal.