Time zones in China and Russia

 ⁠China officially spans across five geographical time zones but operates on a single standard time zone, China Standard Time (UTC+08:00). Also known as ⁠Beijing Time, it is used nationwide without any daylight saving time. [1, 2]

• History: The single time zone was established in 1949 by Chairman Mao Zedong to promote national unity across the country.
• Geographical impact: Because the country is so wide, the sun rises and sets at vastly different times depending on your location. In the westernmost region of ⁠Xinjiang, for example, the sun may not rise until 10:00 a.m. local time, leading many locals there to unofficially use Xinjiang Time (UTC+06:00). [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
• Key Facts About China's Clock Policy
  • Current status: Clocks stay on China Standard Time (UTC+08:00) all year.
  • Past practice: China did try daylight saving time between 1986 and 1991.
  • Why it stopped: The government abandoned the practice because the energy savings were minimal, and the time shifts caused too much confusion for the population. [1, 2, 3, 4]
  Unlike China, Russia is split into 11 separate time zones, but like China, it does not change its clocks for summer and winter. [1, 2, 3, 4]

  The Time Zones of Russia

  Because Russia is the largest country by landmass, its contiguous borders span nearly halfway around the planet. [1]

  • The range: Local times stretch all the way from UTC+02:00 in ⁠Kaliningrad (the westernmost Baltic enclave) to UTC+12:00 in Kamchatka (the far eastern peninsula). [1, 2]
  • The span: There is a 10-hour time difference between the western and eastern edges of the country. When a resident in Moscow is waking up at 8:00 a.m., it is already 6:00 p.m. on the Pacific coast. [1, 2]

  The Clock-Changing Policy

  Russia abandoned seasonal daylight saving time (DST) adjustments entirely. [1, 2]

  • The status: All 11 zones remain on permanent standard time all year long. [1]
  • The history: Russia previously used DST for decades. In 2011, the government switched to year-round "summer time". This proved highly unpopular because citizens hated waking up in intense darkness during the freezing winter months. [1]
  • The fix: In October 2014, ⁠President Vladimir Putin shifted the nation to permanent "winter time" (standard time) to ensure morning daylight better matched natural sunrise patterns. [1]