Deng Xiaoping

Deng Xiaoping was a Chinese leader who came to power in the late 1970s after Mao Zedong's era. He is best known for implementing significant economic reforms that moved China from a centrally planned economy to a more market-oriented one. This included opening up to foreign investments, allowing private enterprises, and modernizing agriculture. Deng's policies led to rapid economic growth and lifted millions out of poverty, transforming China into a major global economic power. He also emphasized pragmatism over ideological purity, famously stating, "It doesn't matter whether a cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice."