Has the Golden Week lost its sheen?
On Sunday, October 1, China will mark the 57th anniversary of the founding of the Republic. Tiananmen Square is being decked out for the celebrations, while the attitude towards the traditional Golden Week seems to be undergoing a change.
Chinese media report on the problems that may come up during the Golden Week celebrations. With 1.3 billion people on holiday, there is an understable strain on the country's transport system. The head of the Chinese travel bureau is even calling for changes to the Golden Week holiday, according to CRI.
There is coverage in international media about the lack of interest among the Chinese to travel during the holidays. There are also reports that Beijing will crackdown on unregistered migrants to ensure a safe holiday. An article from the US Library of Congress brings us back to the events of 1949, when Mao Zedong announced the founding of the People's Republic of China.
Are the problems associated with the Golden Week outweighing the economic benefit that China derives from it?
Golden Holiday to be Changed
CRI - 2006-09-28Whether at sea or in the mountains, it's not uncommon to see crowds of people just about everywhere during Golden Week. But this has caused some, like Wang Zhifa, the deputy director of the National Travel Bureau, to call for changes in the holidays.
Holiday season railway traffic to hit new high
Xinhua - 2006-09-15China's railway sector has geared up to deal with heavy passenger traffic during the upcoming National Day Holiday period. 41 million people are expected to be on the move, up 2.56 million on the same period of last year.
System to serve 130 million passengers
China Daily - 2006-09-26Buses, cabs and the metro are expected to serve 130 million passengers in Beijing during the weeklong National Day Vacation, said the municipal traffic management bureau on Monday.
Golden week travel proving less popular
CCTV - 2006-09-25With less than one week to go before the National Day Holiday kicks off, you'd expect tour packages to be basically completely sold out. But apparently that's not the case.
China's national museum buys Mao portrait after auction canceled
International Herald Tribune France - 2006-09-29China's National Museum has bought a portrait of Mao Zedong, China's founding communist leader, after a public auction was called off under government pressure, a news report said Friday.
China broadens corruption inquiries
International Herald Tribune France - 2006-09-28Government officials in southern China will no longer be allowed to cash in on the tradition of receiving gifts of money in red envelopes in an effort to quash rampant bribery, Agence France- Presse reported from Beijing.
China marks founding of People's Republic with one-week holiday
Monsters and Critics, UK - 2006-10-01China began a week-long national holiday on Sunday with ceremonies to mark the 57th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic.
The People's Republic of China
US Library of Congress - 2006-09-29On October 1, 1949, the People's Republic of China was formally established, with its national capital at Beijing. "The Chinese people have stood up!" declared Mao.
Asian giants get little attention
Toronto Star - 2006-09-27The advent of China's annual national day on Sunday, Oct. 1, is a time to take stock of how Asia is changing and ask again whether events there are more likely to shape this young century.
Chinese losing golden week holiday travel bug
Stuff.co.nz, New Zealand - 2006-09-29Hordes of people, rapacious trinket sellers and inflated prices have taken the glitter off China's "Golden Week" holidays and now they could be scrapped, a state newspaper said.
Beijing to evict unlicensed migrants for holiday
Thanh Nien News, Vietnam - 2006-09-19China's capital plans to rid itself of unregistered migrant workers for next month's week-long National Day holiday in a bid to keep the crime rate down, state media said Tuesday.
China sites restrict tourists over holiday
Times of Oman - 2006-10-02Top Chinese tourist destinations are limiting the number of daily visitors over the week-long National Day holiday, when hundreds of millions of Chinese travel around the country, state media said on Sunday.