Wallace: Mao Zedong has been dead for just 10 years. What do you think would be

Mao's reaction to China today, a China where the leaders say to get rich is glorious, and

where personal happiness and private enterprises and political reform and greater

freedom of speech are beginning to be permitted - what would Mao say?

Deng: There are differences. However, there are similarities as far as certain principles

are concerned. Mao Zedong Thought is still our guiding ideology. We have adopted the

Resolution on Certain Questions in the History of our Party Since the Founding of the

People's Republic of China, which answers your question.

Wallace: It doesn't answer my question. The China of Deng Xiaoping is different from

the China of Mao Zedong. It's a new revolution that is going on here, at least you are

trying to make a new revolution, it seems.

Deng: You are right. We too say that what we are doing now is in essence a revolution. In

another sense, we are engaged in an experiment. For us, this is something new, and we

have to feel our way. Since it is something new, we are bound to make mistakes. Our

method is to review our experience from time to time and correct mistakes whenever we

discover them, so that minor mistakes will not grow into major ones.

Wallace: Last question. You are number one in China. How long do you intend to

continue to be the chief leader and the chief adviser?

Deng: I am all for the abolition of life tenure and the institution of a retirement system.

As you know, I told the Italian correspondent Oriana Fallaci that my plan was to work

until 1985. It's already a year beyond that date. I am now considering when to retire.

Personally, I should like to retire soon. However, this is a rather difficult question. It is

very hard to persuade the Party rank and file and the Chinese people to accept that. I

believe if I retire before I die, it will help ensure the continuation of the present policies.

It will also be in keeping with my own wishes. However, I need to work harder to talk

people around. In the end, as I am a member of the Communist Party, I must obey the

decision of the Party. I am a citizen of the People's Republic of China, so I must obey the

will of the people. I am still hoping that I can succeed in persuading the people to come

round to my view.

Wallace: You told Fallaci "until 1985"; what will you tell me?

Deng: To be quite frank, I am trying to persuade people to let me retire at the Party's

Thirteenth National Congress next year. But so far, all I have heard is dissenting voices

on all sides.