Deng understood that China needed to develop, which would require a stable external environment that was conducive to international trade and investment. The question today is not if China will rise to become a great power, but rather how China will use its newfound power. In the South China Sea, China continues to construct military outposts on artificial islands it built within the Paracel and Spratly islands. As China’s economy slows and its leaders consider the implications of a more confrontational approach toward China’s neighbors and toward the United States, these issues are roiling in debates among some of China’s elites. Deng Xiaoping’s son, Deng Pufang, reportedly called for a return to his father’s fundamental priorities: addressing China’s domestic economy and keeping China’s external environment stable.

Source: Washington Post December 19, 2018 12:00 UTC