Opinion | Deng Xiaoping's grandson a county-level official, state media reveals

The 28-year-old grandson of Deng Xiaoping has become a low level official in Guangxi Autonomous Region, state media reported on Thursday.

Deng Zhuodi has recently become the deputy head of Pingguo county, a two hour-drive northwest of the regional capital Nanning, China News Service said. The county famous for its aluminium has a population of over half a million people.

Deng is the first among the second generation descendants of Deng Xiaoping to assume a political office.

His grandfather, who died in 1997, has been widely credited for leading China's reform and opening process in the 1980s, negotiating Hong Kong's return to China, cracking down on protesters in the 1989 uprising and restarting China's economic reforms in 1992.

Not surprisingly perhaps, his grandson's portfolio in Pingguo county includes "furthering reform". The 28-year-old is among other portfolios also in charge of legal matters, agriculture, poverty alleviation, the news service said.

Pingguo is the second-most populous county administered by Baise city, in Guangxi's Northwest. In 1929, Deng Xiaoping co-organised an uprising against the Nationalist government in the city.  

Quoting "local cadres and masses", the Thursday report said that the illustrous grandson has shown "erudite knowledge and outstanding ability".