Beneficiaries of reform seek more of the same
The people of Qingdao yesterday mourned Deng and said they expected no change in the economic policies that raised the living standards of most of them.
'Deng was responsible for the open door and reform policy so I thank him for them,' said one taxi driver listening to the news of the death on his radio.
'If we had gone on like before China would be in chaos. What we need now is more of the same and to make the country more free and democratic.
'Economically there have been great changes under Deng and politically a little change. I expect no change in policy now that he is dead.' The city of Qingdao, a major port naval base and industrial city of 6.84 million people in the east coast province of Shandong was normal this morning.
There was no sign of increased security outside the city railway station or government buildings.
People went to work as usual, on bicycles, in creaking buses and private cars.
All around the city are signs of the changes that resulted from Deng's decision to open China to the outside world and embark on a market economy - skyscrapers, hotels and offices, advertising bill boards, foreign goods, stock brokerages and private businesses, all unthinkable in Mao's China.
People discounted the likelihood of students or laid-off workers using the occasion of Deng's death to demonstrate, saying that they lacked organisation and that making money, not politics was the priority for most people.
'There will be no change in policy,' said a retired man doing his morning exercises. 'Jiang Zemin has been in power for several years implementing Deng's policies, and the living standards for most people have gone up. Of course some have got richer faster than others. The wealth gap is large but common wealth for all remains the goal.' A retired secondary school teacher said that the reality of the world economy would not allow China to change.
'I have no feeling towards Deng personally. I'm just an ordinary person and he was a leader,' he said.
