Deng Xiaoping gets a kiss from one of his grandchildren in a 1986 photo. China's paramount leader, Deng turned 90 Monday, but the event passed with little fanfare. Several major newspapers carried front-page file photos of Deng and commentaries praising his contributions to the nation, but none said explicitly that it was his birthday. The newspapers did carry lengthy articles that make it clear that despite the absence of public celebration, Deng's pragmatic policies clearly remain the official line. Under the chain-smoking Deng's leadership, once-isolated China has opened to the outside world and carried out sweeping reforms that have moved the Communist nation toward a market economy.
