Recent weeks have seen a wave of new books, stamps, movies, television programmes, newspaper articles, songs and performances, all celebrating the 100thanniversary of the birth of Deng Xiaoping, on August 22. To Chinese people, he was no doubt one ofprefix = st1 /China's greatest leaders.       Many Westerners remember Deng as "a little man with great ideas". He was famous for his practical and direct manner, shown in famous slogans such as "No matter if it is a white cat or a black cat; a cat that can catch rats is a good cat" and "Poverty is not socialism".      In 1979, as the first top Chinese communist leader to set foot in theUnited States, he was regarded as a symbol of friendship when he wore a cowboy hat inHouston,Texas, and rode around in a stage coach.      "His straightforward manner earned the trust of the American people. He changed the American people's traditional view of Chinese leaders andChina," said David Lampton, a well-known American expert onChina. "He succeeded in strengthening Chinese diplomatic relations." Lampton said that Deng openedChinaup to the rest of the world and helped develop more friendly relations with the West. "Deng's reform increased the world's understanding of Chinaand today Americans are no longer afraid ofChina," said Mike Wallace, an American journalist who interviewed Deng in 1986. At that time, he said,Chinawas still mysterious in the eyes of Westerners. Talking of his impression of Deng, Wallace said he was very honest and clever. He recalled a conversation at the beginning of the interview. "I started the interview by saying 'reporters don't normally get to meet you'. Deng answered, 'Because I am an ordinary person'. Then I asked, 'Why did you decide to have the interview with us at this time?' He replied, 'Because I want to know American people and that they can know Chinabetter; by American people I also mean American leaders'." Though he interviewed many international leaders, Wallace thought Deng was very different form them all. Maybe the fact that Deng was selected twice as "Person of the Year" by the world-famous American Time magazine tells it all. The passage mainly talks about  _  .
how Deng was regarded by Chinese people how Deng was viewed amongst foreigners what Deng was famous for how Deng strengthened the relations between Chinaand theUS