Victor Gao: every day is a day of gratitude

When Deng decided to reintroduce the gaokao after a 10 year gap, nobody was ready for it. But he was so anxious to get China's education system functioning again that two classes were enrolled in one year: the class of 1977 started in the spring of 1978, and the class ‘78 was on campus in autumn. Every minute counted. The rush meant it wasn’t possible to organize a standardized national exam, so each province had to prepare its own version. It wasn’t until 1979 that Beijing succeeded in unifying the gaokao. The first several years after the test resumed were exceptionally tough on students, with only 2-5 percent of the test takers getting a pass and being offered a place at university. Victor and I were two of the lucky ones.

Advised by a teacher that focusing on English was a relatively easier way to pass the exam, Victor picked it as his focus and excelled. As a result of his aptitude, he was allowed to skip several classes at university and was soon doing a master's degree at the University of Foreign Studies. Deng launched his policy of reform and opening up in 1978, and soon China was reaching out to the world. To do that it needed people who could speak foreign languages. So great was the demand for interpreters, whoever worked hard enough had a chance to succeed in high places. Victor was one of the hard workers, and in 1983 he became one of the youngest interpreters at the Foreign Ministry.

Victor Gao, a current affairs commentator, poses for a photo with Manling, host of China Plus, after an interview on Dec. 7, 2018. [Photo: China Plus]

“Awestruck” was the word Victor used to describe Deng when he first saw him. The usual routine was that he joined the other staff in arriving for meetings an hour ahead of time. They were often held in Deng's favorite room in the Great Hall of the People, the Fujian Hall. Deng would arrive half an hour early to listen to briefings. As a junior, he stood in the back listening. According to Victor, Deng was more of a listener than a talker, but when he opened his mouth, his words were like bullets – they had force and they hit their target. Deng used plain language that was easy for everyone to understand, despite his heavy Sichuan accent. But sometimes Deng used local slang to express his ideas. Many of his off-hand lines have become classic quotations that reflect his profound wisdom. When I asked Victor for an example, he said that Deng often told people to “keep a hand free” (literally, keep a hand behind you, 留后手). By this he meant, leave room to maneuver – or, to use a similar phrase, don’t cut down the bridge after crossing the river.

During the debate as to what road China should take to reignite its economy after a stagnation of 10 years, the cabinet was conflicted on the question of whether China should adopt a socialist or capitalist system. Deng’s position was summed up in the immortal line, "It doesn't matter whether a cat is black or white; as long as it catches mice it is a good cat." This perfectly captures his pragmatism. It was this pragmatism that brought the debate to an end and saved China from sliding back into economic irrelevance. "Crossing the river by feeling the stones" was another of his well-known lines, and represents Deng’s belief that China needs to make its own way by responding to the conditions it faces along the way.

Although Victor and I witnessed the changes of the reform and opening up firsthand, we both agreed that it took us a long time to realize the wisdom of our diminutive former leader. We were so young, so deeply involved in learning, and overwhelmed by all of the opportunities we had along the way, that we did very little thinking about what it all meant. Everybody was busy making money, feeding hungry minds with knowledge, and going out to see the world. It was only many years later that people like us started to realize how important how profound Deng’s changes had been to the nation as well as for us as individuals.

Back in the early 1970s, Henry Kissinger came to China to test the water for the possibility of breaking the ice between the two adversaries, and George H.W. Bush served as the head of the U.S. Liaison Office in Beijing before the two countries formally resumed diplomatic relationships in 1979. In the eyes of a young diplomatic staffer like Victor, they were a source of inspiration and a lifelong motivation for him to aim high. Henry Kissinger in particular became his idol. Wearing similar black-framed glasses, Victor aspired to become as learned as him. One day he mustered enough courage to ask Kissinger to write a recommendation letter for him to Yale University. Kissinger agreed, and sitting in the studio decades later recalling that moment, Victor was still brimming with gratitude. I admired Victor’s courage – it took guts to ask for an endorsement from a figure as senior as Kissinger.

Kissinger's letter helped Victor to get into Yale, where he would receive a PhD in law. And like his idol, Victor is now best known in China and overseas as an authoritative voice on international affairs. When I asked Victor for his view on the future of the relationship between China and the United States, arguably the world’s single most important bilateral relationship, he was a mix of optimism and pessimism. He stressed that we should pay special tribute to the wise leaders who have contributed to building up the relationship, and remember the legacies of people like Deng Xiaoping and George H.W. Bush. We would be wise, he said, to learn from their wisdom as both countries try to ensure their future prosperity. But he also acknowledged that it would be delusional not to worry about the worsening tit for tat conflicts between the world’s two largest economies.

At the moment when the world is mourning George H. W. Bush's passing, Victor mentioned that once he wrote to the former president and asked him to write about Deng Xiaoping's legacy, which he did. The letter, Victor said, will eventually be donated to a museum, but for the time being he is keeping this treasure to himself. He plans to collect more memories about Deng Xiaoping from dignitaries and people who had the chance to work with him in the hope that he can publish a memoir about him. He assured me that he does have time for leisure, time spent with family is important for him, and music is a source of energy. When I asked if he had any regrets, he responded that he wished he had spent more time with his family.

I look forward to the day when he slows down, spends more time at home, and focuses on finishing the book he has long wished to accomplish. With all that has been said about his reflections on life, he could also write an autobiography and call it, "Every Day is a Day of Gratitude."