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In today's republic, it has become a general consensus that the seven-day holiday for the National Day has become a common understanding. However, do you know that the "Golden Week," which is a seven-day holiday on National Day, was first proposed by Premier Zhu Rongji during a Chinese New Year's Eve dinner?
So, what is the reason why Premier Zhu Rongji proposed to take a seven-day holiday on the 11 th National Day? What impact did this have on the development of the republic?
Premier Zhu Rongji had a Chinese New Year's Eve dinner and proposed a seven-day holiday on National Day
The 11 th National Day holiday, which people are accustomed to today, was actually proposed by Premier Zhu Rongji at the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner; what was the reason why Premier Zhu Rongji proposed a seven-day holiday for the National Day at the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner?
The year 1998 was a year full of difficulties and ups and downs for the Republic. In this year, under the influence of El Niño, most parts of the republic experienced heavy rains of varying degrees in the summer, causing the water levels of many rivers to rise sharply, inducing floods throughout the country. In order to ensure the safety of the people's lives, a vigorous anti-flood campaign was launched throughout the country, known as the "98 Flood Fight" in history.
Premier Zhu Rongji attached great importance to the current anti-flood campaign. He often appeared on the front line of flood fighting and disaster relief, encouraging the people's children and soldiers that as long as the Chinese people work together, they will certainly be able to overcome all difficulties and dangers and ensure the safety of the lives and property of the Chinese people.
Facts have proved that the Government of the Republic and the people's soldiers have not failed to live up to the hopes of hundreds of millions of Chinese. Thanks to the concerted efforts of the masses of the people, this flood disaster of unprecedented scale was finally successfully overcome by the mainland, which has done its best to minimize the safety of the people's lives and property. China's achievements in fighting disasters have attracted the attention of the world.
However, as the saying goes, "no blessing is equal, no disaster can go alone", just when the republic had just finished its flood relief work, a flood disaster in the financial industry also swept in.
The Asian financial crisis that broke out in 1998 hit the stock market like a tsunami, and the Asian tigers, who had created the "economic myth" in the past, suddenly languished. In order to prevent this unprecedented economic crisis and tsunami from spreading to China, the government of the Republic of China did not hesitate to invest heavily and adopted a proactive fiscal policy and a prudent monetary policy, so that the Republic could smoothly survive the financial crisis.
On Chinese New Year's Eve in 1998, Premier Zhu Rongji invited some front-line cadres, young entrepreneurs, and representatives of workers to gather together.
While spending the last day of 1998, we also discussed the future development of the country. At the banquet of the New Year's Eve party, someone suddenly mentioned to Zhu Rongji the state's plan to raise the minimum wage standard, and it was not known whether it could be realized in 1999.
After hearing this suggestion, Premier Zhu Rongji could not help but frown: Although the republic has successfully overcome the two natural and man-made disasters of the 1998 floods and economic crisis, the republic's finances have also paid a considerable price.
Zhu Rongji thought that in the face of tight state finances, the plan to increase wages and improve the welfare benefits of the people in 1999 would be in vain. If you want to raise the minimum wage in the republic, I am afraid it will be delayed for a while.
Just when Zhu Rongji was politely postponing the raising of the minimum wage, someone suddenly made a suggestion at the banquet: Since the republic is not yet able to raise the minimum wage for the time being, why not add some holidays to give the people time to rest? As far as the citizens of the republic are concerned, resting during the holidays and being able to receive wages during the holidays can be regarded as a kind of welfare treatment.
After careful consideration, Premier Zhu Rongji chose the best time for the holiday on the 11th National Day. After all, this is the day when the republic was founded and the people celebrate together, and in the prime minister's view, it is reasonable to choose this day to give all the people a holiday. Moreover, in France, the United States and other countries, there are international precedents for reference when the National Day is closed.
After some discussion, most of the people attending the banquet agreed that the plan to arrange a holiday rest for the National Day was feasible. However, when the plan to arrange a holiday for the National Day was reported to the State Council, it still faced considerable difficulties.
Why did some departments within the State Council raise objections to the National Day holiday?
After Premier Zhu Rongji, in his capacity as premier of the State Council, submitted a proposal to the State Council of the Republic to arrange a seven-day holiday for the National Day, 13 departments of the State Council expressed their stance on this proposal one after another.
However, one of the thirteen relevant departments raised objections. So, which department is the department that raised the objection, and what is the reason for this department's opposition to the National Day holiday?
After Premier Zhu Rongji submitted the proposal for the National Day holiday to the State Council, he obtained the consent of most departments of the State Council. However, there is one department that has put forward opposing proposals, and this department is the Ministry of Economy and Trade, which is mainly responsible for the economic construction and development of the Republic. So, what is the reason why the Ministry of Economic and Trade has raised objections about the National Day holiday?
In the view of the Ministry of Economic and Trade Affairs, the reason why they do not agree to the National Day holiday is mainly for the consideration of the main economic construction of the Republic. Although the National Day can give most of the private enterprise sector a holiday, for most state-owned enterprises, the holiday is a difficult thing.
For example, some state-owned electric power enterprises and steel state-owned enterprises in the country are often related to the lifeblood of a country's economic development. Once the shutdown is stopped, then the resumption of work and production may require high costs.
Second, the Ministry of Economic and Trade is worried that if there is a holiday on the National Day, then the relevant public servants of the state will also get a holiday on the National Day. The National Day is a festival linked to the image of a country, if during this festival, there are public servants to go on vacation and rest, if the cost is high, will it cause criticism, and even attract the unhealthy trend of comparing with each other?
After all, the republic is a socialist country in which the people are the masters of the country, and if civil servants take the lead in comparison, will the upward and downward effects affect the overall appearance and atmosphere of a country?
The third point that the Ministry of Economy and Trade is worried about the National Day holiday is that since the founding of New China, the state has rarely set up new holidays. If a new holiday is established, it must go through strict legal procedures. If the state establishes a National Day holiday, whether it is subject to the State Council or the National People's Congress, if the corresponding procedures are not followed to determine the holiday, then I am afraid it will be difficult to convince the public.
Although Premier Zhu Rongji was anxious to set up a National Day holiday, the corresponding feedback and suggestions given by the Ministry of Economic and Trade still made some sense to Zhu Rongji after careful consideration. Premier Zhu Rongji responded to this one by one.
First of all, Premier Zhu Rongji pointed out that since there should be a holiday on the National Day, the holidays should be treated equally between private enterprises, state-owned enterprises, and civil servants.
Although state-owned enterprises, such as the electric power sector and iron and steel enterprises, cannot be shut down because of the holiday, Premier Zhu Rongji said that it is possible to work in shifts, and that those employees who work during the National Day holiday should be given a certain amount of overtime pay and subsidies.
Second, Premier Zhu Rongji believes that during the National Day holiday, civil servants should indeed rest, but at the same time, they should also severely punish corruption and crack down on the unhealthy trend of eating, drinking, and comparing themselves with each other. The governance of corruption should not be limited to overnight, but should be done at all times.
Finally, Premier Zhu Rongji conducted a careful historical investigation of the system of setting holidays in the history of the Republic, and finally Premier Zhu Rongji discovered that the formulation of the Republic's holidays was originally decided by the Government Council.
The Government Council was the predecessor of the State Council of the Republic of China, so in the eyes of Premier Zhu Rongji. Although there are many difficulties, there is a corresponding legal and historical basis for the State Council of the Republic to directly implement the system of National Day holidays.
What impact has the National Day holiday system had on the Republic?
After the doubts about establishing the Republic's National Day holiday system were dispelled, Premier Zhu Rongji said that the sooner the Republic's National Day holiday system was implemented, the better.
In 1999, Premier Zhu Rongji expressed the hope that on the occasion of the 50 th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, all the people of the Republic would be able to enjoy a comfortable holiday.
As for the issue of holiday salary compensation for state-owned enterprises such as electric power and iron and steel, the Republic has also properly handled and arranged for the implementation of the National Day holiday of the Republic.
According to the careful calculations of the economic and trade departments, the State Council found that to maintain the normal operation of the power and steel departments on the National Day, it would need to spend nearly 40 million yuan a year. In this regard, the State Council was hesitant for a while, after all, after the financial crisis in 1998, the fiscal amount of 40 million yuan was not a small amount.
On this issue, Premier Zhu Rongji has displayed astonishing foresight and courage. In Premier Zhu Rongji's view, although the 40 million yuan was considered a large amount at that time, the investment was bound to benefit the country and the people, and if the economy of the republic can develop, then the economic income of the republic will be more than the 40 million yuan.
Under the impetus of Premier Zhu Rongji, the first National Day holiday of the Republic of China was finally successfully implemented during the National Day in 1999.
At first, everyone was nervous about the first National Day holiday of the Republic, and many were worried about it, fearing that such a National Day holiday would not bring good economic benefits, or that there would be negative news about what would happen in the Republic during this period.
But fortunately, the first National Day holiday of the Republic not only did not have any accidents, but also promoted the development of tourism in the Republic at that time, so that the National Day holiday of the Republic won unanimous praise from the people.
Today, the seven-day National Day holiday, which was promoted by Premier Zhu Rongji of the State Council, has been thoroughly established and has continued to this day, becoming an important engine for promoting the economic development of the republic throughout the year.