Chapter 56

The Lin Qiangsheng family, along with many neighbors, were watching the news broadcast. Gao Jun and Dong Cheng were also invited to join them.

It was late October 1978. Televisions, as expensive luxury items, had not yet entered the homes of the vast majority of Chinese people. At that time, owning a television was a luxury enjoyed by only a few!

For a family to own a television was a matter of great pride. If neighbors and relatives could gather to watch, they would certainly come, even if the screen was full of static. They could still watch with great enthusiasm for half an hour, chatting and discussing what was being shown on the TV, marveling at how colorful and dazzling it all was.

At this moment, the 18-inch black-and-white television was not showing any static, but was broadcasting important national news.

To make it easier for everyone to watch, Lin Xiangrong had moved the television to the spacious courtyard. Although the weather was already a bit cool, it did not dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd.

The courtyard was filled with neighbors, old and young, grandfathers and grandmothers, young men and women, children, and toddlers. Over 30 people crowded around the television, with more people peering in from the doorway and even watching from the top of the courtyard wall.

"October 22, 1978. Vice Premier Deng of the State Council, at the invitation of the Japanese government, is making an official friendly visit to Japan and will attend the ceremony for the exchange of the instruments of ratification of the Sino-Japanese Peace and Friendship Treaty. This is the first visit to Japan by a Chinese state leader."

The news had been reporting on this for several days. During the eight-day visit, Vice Premier Deng met with the Japanese Emperor, held talks with Prime Minister Fukuda Takeo, and met with Japanese friends from various sectors who had long worked for Sino-Japanese friendship.

He said, "Currently, the people of our country are carrying out the general task of the new era, determined to build our country into a socialist modernized power within this century. Our task is arduous. We must rely on our own efforts, but we must also learn from all the advanced experiences and technologies of other countries!"

In a Japanese worker's home, he praised their affluent lifestyle, and he expressed admiration for the modern technology of Toyota and Panasonic.

As the first Chinese state leader to visit Japan after World War II, Vice Premier Deng's visit was to attend the ceremony for the exchange of the instruments of ratification of the Sino-Japanese Peace and Friendship Treaty. It was also a journey to seek inspiration for China's modernization strategy. At the time of his visit, just before the Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, Deng, as the chief architect of China's reform and opening up, was envisioning the grand blueprint for reform and opening up and thinking about how China could become prosperous in the future.

During the visit, Vice Premier Deng held a highly anticipated press conference at the Japan Press Club in Tokyo. Over 400 journalists from renowned news organizations such as Kyodo News, Jiji Press, Reuters, United Press International, Associated Press, Agence France-Presse, and Deutsche Presse-Agentur attended. This was the first time a Chinese leader had agreed to meet the press in a "Western European style" during an overseas visit.

When answering questions about China's modernization, Vice Premier Deng demonstrated his frank, pragmatic, and open style to the Western journalists. He said, "The modernization we aim to achieve by the end of this century is relatively close to the level of that time. The world is advancing rapidly, and the level at that time, for example, in Japan, will certainly not be the current level. It will be very difficult for us to reach the current levels of Japan, Europe, and the United States, and even more difficult to reach the level 22 years from now. We are fully aware of this difficulty, but we still have the ambition to achieve it."

To achieve modernization, he pointed out, "We need the right policies, which means being good at learning. We should start our development with the most advanced international technology and management methods. First, we must admit our backwardness. Admitting our backwardness gives us hope. Second, we must be good at learning. This visit to Japan is to learn from Japan. We will learn from all developed countries and from the good experiences of our Third World friends. With such an attitude, policy, and strategy, we have hope."

When talking about admitting backwardness, he suddenly said something witty: "A person who is very ugly but wants to dress up like a beauty cannot do it." This sharp self-criticism made the journalists burst into laughter, and they had to admit that this attitude was the hope for China's resurgence.

"Isn't this just kowtowing to the West?" someone in the courtyard whispered.

"Shh!" His words were immediately interrupted.

Lin Qiangsheng looked at Gao Jun and Dong Cheng, who were sitting stiffly in their military uniforms and caps, staring intently at the television screen, not missing a detail.

Lin Qiangsheng smiled slightly. Although Gao Jun's face showed no emotion, his eyes did not lie. Lin Qiangsheng could sense that his mood was turbulent and uncertain.

After being educated for so many years, not fearing hardship or sacrifice, and with a strong spirit of victory, now they had to learn from others. How could they do it?!

During the visit, in addition to meetings and talks, Vice Premier Deng also visited modern Japanese enterprises and high-tech facilities, meeting with corporate leaders, senior economic figures, and technical managers.

Vice Premier Deng visited three Japanese factories: Nissan's Sagamihara Plant, Nippon Steel's Kimitsu Plant, and Panasonic's Ibaraki Plant. At the Sagamihara Plant, he and his entourage rode in electric cars to visit the Third Body Shop and the Second Assembly Shop, showing great interest in the advanced automated robot welding production line. He said, "Coming here, I understand what modernization and industrialization mean. I thank the industrialized countries, especially Japan, for their assistance." Vice Premier Deng had in-depth conversations with Panasonic President Konosuke Matsushita and directly with the company's technical personnel. During his visit to Kyoto, he also took the Shinkansen bullet train. On the fast train, when asked about his impressions, he replied cheerfully, "It's fast and very comfortable. Everything must be done with speed!"

When the TV showed the robot welding production line at Nissan's Sagamihara Plant, there was immediate excitement in the courtyard, with exclamations of surprise, admiration, and dissatisfaction spreading through the crowd.

"The Japanese technology is really advanced!" A workshop supervisor who was responsible for production at a factory was squatting in front of the TV, marveling.

Although this seemed to praise others at the expense of oneself, no one could refute it.

"I never imagined that this is what automation and modernization really mean! Our manual and semi-automated production lines are nothing compared to theirs!" Lin Xiangrong looked at the final scenes of the Sagamihara Plant on the TV and said quietly.

Lin Qiangsheng's face showed no emotion. What could he show now! Could he say with great confidence that they would catch up soon! Even with chips, there was still software! Where would they find the right people in the country, and where would they find them!

Lin Qiangsheng's face showed a hint of discomfort. He didn't know where the pain was coming from, but it was very, very painful!

Chen Yao, sitting next to Lin Qiangsheng, noticed his state and slowly reached out to hold his hand.

Lin Qiangsheng looked at Chen Yao, whose face was flushed. When she saw him turn to look at her, she encouraged him with a slight pout.

Lin Qiangsheng smiled, shook his head, and indicated that he was fine. Chen Yao carefully observed him and then nodded with a smile.

No matter what, this series of foreign reports made a significant impact on Chinese TV viewers, making them realize how long they had been isolated. The Chinese people began to understand the world through the TV lens of Vice Premier Deng's visit, and China started to seek ways to enter the world.

After sending Chen Yao home, Lin Qiangsheng walked back, taking a deep breath under the night sky.

He shook his arms and muttered, "What the hell! Watching such news actually broadened my horizons!"

This was not surprising. China was about to enter a new era of reform and opening up. The Third Plenary Session of the Eleventh Central Committee would be held in December. At that time, a grand blueprint would be laid out before the Chinese people, and the Chinese would begin to see the world and move toward it.