The Shenzhen Municipal Government will reschedule its office hours from Dec. 15 to stagger working hours from enterprises and institutions, but public institutions such as hospitals, schools and libraries will not be affected.

The new working hours will be from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The hours apply to all departments and units directly under the municipal committees of the CPC and CPPCC, the Shenzhen Municipal People's Congress, the Shenzhen Municipal Government, as well as courts, procuratorates, trade unions, women's federations, and Communist Youth Leagues.

The restructure is designed to help ease traffic flows during rush hours. To ensure the effects of the staggered working hours, private enterprises are advised to maintain original timetables.

Meanwhile, since Dec. 1 some other parts of China have adopted a trial of working seven and half hours a day for government employees by starting work from 8:30 a.m. instead of 8 a.m.

The trial is being conducted in Gansu and Hebei provinces, southwestern Chongqing Municipality and some eastern cities including Nanjing and Hangzhou.

Experts predict that the trial might prelude the dawning of a long-awaited office timetable that will start at 9 a.m. and end at 5 p.m.

(Shenzhen Daily December 10, 2003)