The Great Reformer

Abstract

A brief overview of the life of the Great Reformer, Deng Xiaoping. He studied in China, France, and Moscow. His professional journey as a laborer in Europe and communist activist led him to serve in the Red Army in China, becoming a prominent figure in political life, always loyal to the CCP. He accepted purges and removals imposed by the Party with resignation, never aspiring to high-ranking positions. He carried out rural and economic development reforms within the framework of liberal socialism for the benefit of the Nation and the people, whom he deeply loved – all of which were accepted for opening China to the world.

China established diplomatic relations with Portugal after the Revolution of April 25, as Portugal abandoned its African colonies – an approach aligned with Deng Xiaoping’s Theory of the Three Worlds, which he presented at the UN General Assembly. Following the signing of the cooperation agreement between Portugal and China, the transition of Macau was carried out peacefully. Ressano Garcia, the Portuguese ambassador in Beijing, strengthened bilateral relations, and Macau’s governor visited Beijing in 1980, leading to the signing of the Luso-Chinese Trade Agreement. In 1987, Cavaco Silva signed the Joint Declaration in Beijing, limiting Portugal’s presence in Macau until December 1999. This was followed by a revision of Macau’s Organic Statute and the establishment of the Legislative Assembly, paving the way for the future Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR).

Deng’s solution within the "One Country, Two Systems" theory for the administrative regions of Macau, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, alongside agrarian reform and economic development policies, transformed China’s rural and urban landscape in the final decades of the 20th century into a modern nation. He reinvigorated cultural identity, which was reflected in economic growth, revoked restrictive education laws by allowing learning opportunities abroad, and oversaw the revival of religious traditions.