It has been 20 years since late paramount leader Deng Xiaoping headed to southern China for a month-long trip that was largely seen as a turning point for the Communist Party.
Back then the party was mired in political, economic and diplomatic crises in the aftermath of the bloody 1989 Tiananmen crackdown and the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991.
During his trip to Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shanghai and six other cities in early 1992, Deng threw his full, decisive weight behind capitalist economic reforms over communist dogmas. His bold remarks on what became known as his 'southern tour' reaffirmed market-oriented economic reform and helped China embark on an era of spectacular growth.
Arguably just as important was the patriarch leader's warning of a left-wing backlash within the party after the June 4 crackdown spurred reformist officials and helped them break the dominance of conservative factions.
Twenty years on, many of Deng's reformist remarks have become household slogans and are still ringing loudly in the ears of party liberals and pro-reform intellectuals, who remain engaged in ideological strife with conservative leftists.
Analysts say most of Deng's thought-provoking comments remain relevant as the country stands at a critical point in its development and awaits the biggest reshuffle of the leadership in a decade, scheduled for later this year.
Although China has risen to become the world's second-biggest economy, its robust economic growth seems certain to slow; disillusionment and disappointment over long-stalled political reform are widespread; and the system is beset by growing problems, including a yawning wealth gap and environmental degradation.