THE PROBLEMS OF DIRT AND DISORDER IN SHANGHAI1
JULY 28, 1988
To improve Shanghai’s investment environment, we need to solve two initial problems: one is dirt; the other is disorder. Otherwise, foreigners won’t come, we won’t be able to attract US$10 billion to $20 billion in foreign investments, it will be very difficult to revitalize Shanghai, and there will be no way for the city to become the largest economic and trade center in the Far East.
The Dirt Problem
We must think of ways to tackle the dirt—this is very important for the look and feel of the city, which is so dirty now that morale has reached rock bottom. I get a headache just looking at all the dirt, which is only getting worse. City leaders and people in the military have all turned out to sweep the streets, but such efforts aren’t half enough and won’t solve the problem. The city government recently made up its mind to reform its system of managing environmental hygiene by introducing contracting and a responsibility system. No matter what, in the second half of this year we must come up with a series of measures to solve this problem.
Shanghai’s current environmental hygiene is truly unsatisfactory, and the foreigners who come here also find it incredibly dirty. Sanitation is so poor that it cannot be mentioned in the same breath as that of Beijing and Tianjin. Why hasn’t the problem of dirt been solved? I think it’s because of poor management, like “railroad police patrols, with each in charge of one section.” It is management by many with no one in charge.
Next year we’ll be celebrating the 40th anniversary of Shanghai’s liberation. After we surpass our goal of RMB 15.3 billion in fiscal revenues by year’s end, we will spend some money next year on “dressing up” the streets. I believe that this proposal will win the support of the Municipal People’s Congress and the Municipal People’s Political Consultative Conference. If we make the streets look better and improve the management of city sanitation, it will greatly perk up the spirits of our residents.
The Disorder Problem
The Municipal Bureau of Public Security is responsible for dealing with disorder. We are in the process of implementing “one policeman with many functions” and jointly dealing with disorder. We must do a good job of joint law enforcement. At present, beatings are frequent, with victims ranging from policemen, members of ad hoc joint security teams, industrial and commercial law enforcement officers, to teachers and doctors. Strict measures are needed to handle these occurrences or things will get out of hand and social mores will be destroyed. Public security is a vital concern, so we must think of ways to manage Shanghai’s public order and traffic well and must have a strong legal foundation for everything. Moreover, laws must be strictly enforced. For now, our highest priority is to alleviate traffic problems—the Municipal Bureau of Public Security must make a concerted effort to manage traffic. Managing a city well is a great science that should be studied properly. I hope all of you here today will support our work in public security so that it can improve significantly in short order.
1. Zhu Rongji made these remarks at an on-site working conference at the Shanghai Bureau of Public Security.