Ezra F. Vogel describes Deng Xiaoping as a pragmatist in his book Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China. Given what the architect of reform and opening-up did for his country, the label is justified.

Deng's most famous quote, "No matter if it is white cat or black cat, as long as it can catch mice, it is a good cat", is a good illustration of his pragmatism. Deng was the right leader for the country at a crucial moment in its history, and he made the right choice initiating the reforms that kick-started the country's remarkable progress.

With his experience as one of the top leaders of the country over nearly two decades after the founding of New China in 1949 and his adverse experiences during the "cultural revolution" (1966-76), Deng easily identified the problem that needed to be solved in order to release people's enthusiasm for economic development. He knew what this country and its people needed.

He did not care which -ism China followed, neither was he concerned about which way it chose to develop the economy, as long as the economy could be developed. "Feeling for stones to cross the river", another well-known saying by Deng, made it clear that China had no other choice but to cross the river - that is to reverse the trend of its declining economy that had resulted because of its preoccupation with the "class struggle".

Deng succeeded as a reformer because he knew what the country needed to do when it was at a crossroads in history. He preferred practice to theory. "Practice is the sole criterion for testing the truth," he said. It was fortunate for China and its people that Deng was at the helm at that time.

But it is three decades since Deng initiated his reforms, and there is a new set of problems that urgently need to be solved.

On the economic front, the central government is seeking to transform the development mode to sustain growth in the future. The authorities have realized that the two-digit gross domestic product that has been maintained over more than two decades, primarily by investment and the unsustainable use of resources, will sap the vitality of the economy if it continues.

Meanwhile, corruption is eroding the Party's image. The number of officials above county-level punished for corruption in 2011 was more than 4,800. Besides the money that corrupt officials embezzle or receive as bribes, their misconduct compromises what the central government policies aim to achieve and reduce the benefit residents receive from the implementation of central government policies.

To deal with the corruption produced by the nexus of power and capital in one way or another, the spirit of pragmatism is still needed. The same is true for the transformation of the country's development mode.

The enforcement of the rule of law and corruption-free governance is important and desired. However, it will take time to achieve. But when corruption, which admittedly shows few signs of decreasing despite a crackdown, poses a threat to governance and seriously undermines healthy economic development and social progress, how long can we wait for the rule of law and an efficient system to root out and prevent the exploitation of power by money?

A pragmatic approach needs to be worked out to wipe out corruption and transform the development mode, which will pave the way for consolidating the rule of law and building a desirable system that makes the exercising of power transparent.

The 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China will be held later this year. It will recognize the urgency of wiping out corruption and it will hopefully map out a pragmatic roadmap for the Party's governance and the country's development.

The author is a senior writer with China Daily. E-mail: zhuyuan@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 07/11/2012 page8)