Chinese Characters

Original version

BBC Radio 4 LW

chinese-characters-podcast

Documentaries

Factual: Life Stories

Factual: History

Series of essays exploring Chinese history through the life stories of key personalities.

BBC Radio 4 FM

Chinese Characters: Deng Xiaoping: Black Cat, Yellow Cat

Deng Xiaoping: Black Cat, Yellow Cat

BBC Radio 4 - Chinese Characters, Deng Xiaoping: Black Cat, Yellow Cat

The paramount leader who enabled China's economic miracle.

He was Mao's lieutenant who was purged twice but ultimately rose to the very top. He enabled China's economic miracle to happen, but crushed protests with ferocity in 1989.

He was nicknamed "the steel mill" for his capacity to just keep going on and on. He was Mao's lieutenant who was purged twice and rose three times, the final time to the very top. He enabled China's economic miracle to happen after 1978 by allowing capitalism to reemerge in the world's biggest Communist country. "It doesn't matter if a cat is white or yellow if it catches mice," he observed. He put down protests with ferocity in 1989. And he negotiated the last piece of unfinished business between Britain and China - the return of Hong Kong in 1997. As China becomes ever more prominent today, we need to understand that we live in Deng Xiaoping's world - and why. 
Presenter: Rana Mitter
Producer: Ben Crighton
Researcher: Elizabeth Smith Rosser.

BBC Radio 4

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Chinese Characters

Deng Xiaoping: Black Cat, Yellow Cat

Genres

Brand

BBC Radio 4 LW

About BBC Radio 4