China Post issued a set of stamps on August 22 marking the 110th anniversary of the birth of former leader Deng Xiaoping. China Daily/China Daily

August 22 marked the 110th birthday of late Chinese statesman Deng Xiaoping (1904-97). Commemorative activities were held around the country to celebrate the milestone. Chinese President Xi Jinping attended a symposium to mark the anniversary on August 20. Xi vowed to uphold socialism with Chinese characteristics and China’s independent “path, theory and system.” In his address, Xi praised Deng’s achievements, describing him as a “prominent leader acknowledged by the whole Party, armed forces and Chinese people of all ethnic groups.” He also hailed Deng a “great Marxist, revolutionary, statesman, military leader and diplomat.”

Commemorative activities began earlier this year and peaked in the lead up to Deng’s birthday. Academic seminars, celebrity writings, TV drama series, photography and painting exhibitions, and theatrical performances have all honored Deng.

Many seminars about Deng used reform and opening-up as their main theme. In early August, more than 50 experts and scholars attended a seminar about Deng in Shanghai, and conducted in-depth discussion on the historical role and contemporary value of Deng Xiaoping Theory. Participants noted that China is at a special stage and critical problems need to be addressed.

The 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee called for the comprehensively deepening of reforms. In this context, there are significant implications for deepening reforms that review a whole set of theories formed during the process of reform and opening-up led by Deng.

On August 19, Wang Weiguang, President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences spoke at CASS seminar in Beijing again honoring Deng. Wang said in his speech that Deng was the “chief architect of China’s socialist reform and opening-up and modernization” and the “pathfinder of socialism with Chinese characteristics.”

On August 18, an article titled “Deng Xiaoping, chief architect of reform and opening-up” by Jin Chongji, an expert of CPC history, was published in the People’s Daily. In his article, Jin explained why people describe Deng as the chief architect of reform and opening-up. Another article titled “A great man and an era” written by Li Jie, President of the Qiushi Journal, was published on the front page of the Guangming Daily on August 18. Li lauded Deng for profoundly changing the destiny of the Chinese nation.

Chinese Social Sciences Today also issued a special report titled “Deng Xiaoping and China amid reform and opening-up.” The article hailed Deng’s contributions to socialism with Chinese characteristics from the perspectives of Sinicized Marxism, China’s institutional improvement, and economic development.

A special website to commemorate Deng co-hosted by People’s Daily Online and News of the Communist Party of China has renewed a lot of content in recent days, including 128 articles related to the comprehensively deepening of reforms in a column.

Hit TV series Deng Xiaoping at History’s Crossroads has been broadcast on China Central Television (CCTV) since August 8, drawing record ratings. The 48-episode drama series spans the downfall of the Gang of Four on October 1976 to implementation of all-round reform and opening-up in 1984.

Xie Chuntao, director of the CPC History Teaching and Research Department at the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC, praised the series. “Many viewers like me lived through the reform and opening-up era, so we feel deep affection for Deng,” Xie said. Some experts also noted commemorative activities aim to keep alive the spirit of Deng and further promote reform, rather than just memorialize him as a former leader.

“Implementing reform and opening-up requires enthusiasm and boldness. We should go back to the starting point of China’s economic reforms in the late 1970s and find strength and passion. Reviewing the past is necessary to tackle the arduous tasks of today and the future,” said Liu Dongchao, a professor at the Teaching and Research Department of Society and Culture at the China National School of Administration.

　　Translated by Chen Meina

　　Revised by Tom Fearon