The only known American television interview with DENG XIAOPING (CBS; 1986)

Deng Xiaoping, the paramount leader of China, addresses the legacy of the Cultural Revolution and the future of Chinese reform in a rare televised exchange. The conversation centers on how the hardships of the Cultural Revolution served as a catalyst for current economic and political shifts, framing past "bad things" as lessons that enabled modernization. Deng rejects the cult of personality, explaining his refusal to write a biography or display public portraits as a commitment to collective leadership rather than individual glorification. He asserts that the current reforms are irreversible because they have tangibly improved the people's standard of living, warning that any leader attempting to roll them back would be deposed. Regarding his own power, Deng advocates for the abolition of life tenure and the establishment of a retirement system, expressing a personal desire to step down to ensure policy continuity while remaining bound by the decisions of the Communist Party.