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In Beijing in October 1976, Wu Guixian shocked everyone by suddenly announcing her resignation from the coveted post of vice premier amid political turmoil.
What will the future hold for this woman who once stood at the pinnacle of power?
Wu Guixian's early life and the addition of the No. 1 Northwest Cotton Factory
In 1951, in the vast land of northwest China, as the horn of national construction sounded, the No. 1 Northwest Cotton Factory, as an important textile base in Shaanxi Province, began to publish a large number of recruitment information on the radio and the bulletin board at the entrance of the village.
Local villagers, especially young people, flock to this new industrial enterprise, hoping to find a place in the nation-building bandwagon.
Wu Guixian, a girl living in rural Shaanxi Province, was one of the many people who came to apply.
At that time, although Wu Guixian was only 16 years old, she already had enough physical strength and determination to devote herself to this industrialization movement.
One of the local recruitment requirements was to be at least 18 years old, and in order to be able to enter the factory, Wu Guixian filled in a false year of birth on the application form.
After entering the factory, Wu Guixian was assigned to the textile workshop, which was filled with the roar of machines and the subtle sound of spinning.
In the hall, rows of textile machines are lined up, and workers are busy shuttling between them, each focusing on their work.
As a newbie, Wu Guixian has just arrived, and everything seems fresh and unfamiliar.
In Wu Guixian's workshop, an experienced master was assigned to be in charge of the training of new workers.
The master taught Wu Guixian how to operate the textile machine step by step, from adjusting the speed of the machine to mastering the tension of the yarn, every detail was not missed.
Under this rigorous training, Wu Guixian quickly mastered the basic skills and began to operate the machine independently.
In addition to his intense work, Wu Guixian also actively participated in the cultural and political study classes in the factory.
Whenever she gets off work, she gathers with other workers in the factory classroom to listen to explanations about the party's policies and the country's future development direction.
Day after day, Goh's performance in the workshop has become better and better, not only is she proficient in operating a variety of machines, but she is also able to quickly identify and eliminate problems in the event of a malfunction, which makes her stand out in the factory.
Factory leaders also began to take notice of the young woman's performance, and her name frequently appeared at the monthly commendation meetings for outstanding employees.
Through the communication with the workshop director and the party group leader, the party committee spoke highly of her political quality and work performance.
At a meeting on the development of party members, the party committee of the factory decided to recruit Wu Guixian into the Communist Party of China.
After joining the party organization, she was given more responsibilities, including organizing the political study and propaganda work of the workshop, so that her leadership skills were further cultivated and demonstrated.
Soon, Wu Guixian's ability and performance were recognized by the factory director.
At a plant-level meeting, the director mentioned the need for workers with strong technical and political performance to drive the progress of the entire factory.
He proposed that Wu Guixian be transferred to the group of Zhao Mengtao, a national model worker, and serve as the leader of the party group of the group, and this decision was quickly implemented.
The leading group has made remarkable achievements
In Zhao Mengtao's group, Wu Guixian quickly established his leadership position with his excellent work ability and efficient management style.
Within the group, each member has their own expertise and tasks, and Wu Guixian always assigns these tasks accurately to ensure that each link runs efficiently.
Under her organization, the group will regularly conduct technical exchanges and operational training, so that each member's skills have been improved.
The working atmosphere within the group is very harmonious, and Wu Guixian pays attention to cultivating teamwork spirit.
She often organizes a short retrospective meeting with team members after the work to discuss the problems that arise in the day's work and their solutions, which not only enhances the cohesion of the team, but also improves work efficiency.
Under the leadership of Wu Guixian, the group members helped each other to face various challenges in production.
Wu Guixian also paid special attention to improving the group's innovation ability.
She encourages team members to improve and optimize existing production processes, and any reasonable suggestions are carefully considered and supported by her.
This open management style has enabled the implementation of many innovative production methods, which has greatly improved production efficiency and product quality.
Under the leadership of Wu Guixian, the team has completed the excess production task for many years and has achieved remarkable results.
This not only makes the entire group rated as an advanced collective every year, but Wu Guixian himself has also been repeatedly commended for his outstanding performance.
Being rated as an advanced worker, a factory-level pacesetter and even a national model worker, behind these honors is her unremitting efforts and the ultimate pursuit of work.
As his prestige grew, Wu's leadership skills were more widely recognized.
She was highly evaluated by other employees and management in the factory, and eventually with the wide recommendation and support of employees, she was promoted to the deputy director of the first cotton factory in Northwest China.
From the deputy director to the vice premier of the State Council
In 1975, Chairman Mao proposed the need to select capable talents from among the grassroots workers to take up leading positions in the country, so as to strengthen the connection between the government and the people and train the successors of the revolution.
This strategic decision leads to a series of selection and evaluation activities.
Premier Zhou Enlai was personally in charge of the work, and he instructed his subordinates to search for high-performing workers' leaders throughout the country.
In this process, Wu Guixian attracted the attention of relevant departments for his outstanding performance in the factory and his remarkable achievements in the selection of national model workers. Her file was reviewed and recommended at various levels, and finally submitted to Chairman Mao.
Goh's experience and achievements have been recognized at the top level, especially for her contributions to improving industrial productivity and worker skills training, demonstrating her outstanding skills in organization and leadership.
Subsequently, at the Fourth National People's Congress, Wu Guixian's name was nominated as a candidate for vice premier of the State Council.
During the meeting, the delegates reviewed Wu Guixian's work history, and after voting, she was finally officially appointed as vice premier of the State Council, the first female vice premier of the People's Republic of China.
After arriving in Beijing, Wu Guixian quickly adapted to the duties of vice premier of the State Council.
She was assigned responsibility for the coordination of work between the Ministry of Textiles, the Ministry of Health and the working youth (workers, youth, women).
In handling the responsibilities of these departments, she has demonstrated efficient management skills and deep expertise.
At the Ministry of Textiles, she promoted a series of policies aimed at improving the efficiency and product quality of the textile industry, such as promoting advanced textile technologies, improving the working environment for workers, and enhancing the international competitiveness of products.
In the work of the Ministry of Health, Wu Guixian attaches great importance to improving the level of medical services across the country, especially for workers and farmers.
She has promoted the construction of primary medical facilities, improved the coverage of medical services in rural areas, strengthened the prevention and control of infectious diseases, and significantly improved public health.
At the same time, she is also committed to strengthening the organization of young workers and improving the vocational skills and social status of female workers by promoting more training programs.
The choice of ideological struggle and returning to the heart like an arrow
In October 1976, Wu Guixian assumed the post of vice premier of the State Council, facing increasing responsibilities and pressure.
At this critical juncture, she made an important decision, which was to resign from the post of deputy prime minister.
She submitted a formal application for resignation to the Party Central Committee, accompanied by two specific requests.
The first request was about some of the issues she had involved in participating in the 11th Congress.
During the 11th Party Congress, a number of unsubstantiated allegations and misunderstandings caused her reputation to be tarnished.
Therefore, she asked the Party Central Committee to initiate a formal investigation process to establish the truth and restore her reputation.
Wu Guixian hopes that through this investigation, she will be able to fairly assess her behavior and decision-making in political activities, so as to clear her name.
The second request was about her professional future.
Although her work at the top of the government has attracted much attention, she still misses her days at the No. 1 Northwest Cotton Factory, especially the Zhao Mengtao group she once led and worked for.
She asked to return to the No. 1 Cotton Mill in the Northwest and to continue her textile work in the collective she loved so much.
This request reflects her deep affection for her previous job and her continued passion for the textile industry.
After deliberation and approval by the Party Central Committee, Wu Guixian's request was granted.
She resigned as vice premier, and then she returned to Shaanxi and rejoined Zhao Mengtao's group at the No. 1 Northwest Cotton Factory.
After returning to the factory, Wu Guixian did not relax because of the high position she held before, but was more actively engaged in production work, working with her former colleagues, using her rich experience and knowledge to help improve production efficiency and work quality.
In 1978, Wu Guixian's performance and experience in the No. 1 Northwest National Cotton Factory were fully recognized, and she was appointed as the deputy secretary of the Party Committee of the factory.
In this role, she oversaw the day-to-day operations of the factory and the implementation of the Party's policies, ensuring that production efficiency was in sync with the Party's guidelines.
Her work ranges from managing specific production lines to a broader administrative and policy level, including worker training, safe production and improving the working environment.
In June 1981, Wu Guixian's responsibilities were further expanded, and she not only continued to serve as the deputy secretary of the factory party committee, but also served as the chairman of the factory trade union.
This role brings her closer to the daily life and working conditions of workers, and she actively promotes the improvement of workers' working conditions and benefits, especially in the areas of accommodation, medical care and children's education.
She often talks directly with workers to understand their needs and problems, and strives to create a better working and living environment for them.
In 1988, Wu Guixian's career ushered in a new turning point.
She was appointed as the chairman and general manager of a textile limited company jointly established by Shenzhen Foreign Trade Group Corporation and Hong Kong people.
In 1994, after years of hard work, Wu Guixian officially retired. According to the arrangement of the Party Central Committee, she enjoyed the treatment of the department level, which was a recognition of her long-term service and outstanding contributions.
During her political career, Wu Guixian was also a key member of the Chinese Communist Party, serving as a member of the 9th, 10th, and 11th Central Committee, and as an alternate member of the 10th Politburo.
Resources:
[1] Qi Nianzeng. Wu Guixian: From Textile Worker to Vice Premier[J].Communist Party Member (Second Half Month),2007(2):19-19
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