By CCTV correspondent Nathan King
BEIJING, Oct. 2 (Xinhuanet) -- For the first time in 17 years, a US government shutdown. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers stayed home services were at a standstill. And still no sign of a deal between the two houses of Congress and the White House.
Welcome to Washington we are closed. That was the message at museums and monuments around the nation’s capital to tourists like Elaine and Qing from China’s Henan Province
"This kind of museum is very attractive so it is a little disappointment.Today, I think, is more quiet than yesterday." Chinese tourist said.
These German visitors expressed confusion over why everything is closed. Would this happen in Germany
On the famous Washington Mall, silence as tens of thousands of tourists stayed away and hundreds of thousands of workers stayed home - among them:
U.S. President Obama signed a late night bill, which continues to pay U.S. military personnel while the government is shutdown, but others face uncertainty.
"I urge House Republicans to re-open the government, re-start the services Americans depend on and allow the public servants who have been sent home to return to work." Barack Obama said.
As for the cost of the closures - the last government shutdown which lasted 27 days - cost about three billion U.S. dollars in today’s money not huge, but 800,000 consumers not spending soon adds up - especially here in the U.S. capital where many federal workers are employed. Economists estimate the cost to D.C. alone could be 200 million US dollars a day
But there are more things at stake than money. America’s national prestige arguably takes a hit every time a tourist turns away from one the shuttered monuments. Then there is the National Zoo, closed and not just to visitors coming here in person. Since the baby panda was born firve weeks ago, there have been a panda cams, capturing her very move, and two of them were shut down as the government shut down Monday night.
"While the close of zoos and national museums were national for the US, the world could soon be worried. Jack send the US congress a letter, warning the US debt limit could run out in October 17th, they need to vote to rate that too. If that doesn’t happen, there could be panic in the bond markets, as US could face its first default in its history."
(Source: CNTV.cn)
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