The Changing Face Of Chinese Socialism

Abstract

In 1979, the United States transitioned from recognizing the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the People's Republic of China as the "official" China. Following the death of Mao Zedong, premier of the People's Republic of China and Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party, in 1976, the Cultural Revolution came to a screeching halt. Hua Guofeng became the chairman of the CCP while Deng Xiaopeng eventually rose to the rank of Vice-premier, although Deng's role would prove more important than his title would suggest. At the 3rd Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee in 1978, Deng Xiaopeng laid the groundwork for what would become his political philosophy as well as the roots of what would become his economic policy, including modernizing China's economy. This paper will largely use The Beijing (Peking) Review to argue that Deng Xiaoping used foreign- facing propaganda to sell his policy ideas to the United States and change the face of China. His goal was to abolish the Maoist policy of continuous revolution which had caused such a lack of confidence in China; Deng's policy was to move forward to a more predictable China, one in which foreign investments would be safe.