Deng Appears in Public for the First Time in 3 Months

Deng Xiaoping, China’s senior leader, appeared today in public for the first time in more than three months, meeting an American professor at the Great Hall of the People.

The official News China News Agency said the 85-year-old Deng met T. D. Lee, professor of physics at Columbia University. It gave no details of their talks.

Deng last appeared in public on June 9, when he met senior military officers and praised their actions in suppressing student-led pro-democracy demonstrators.

Hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of people died as troops shot their way into the city on June 3-4 to capture Tian An Men Square from student demonstrators.

Since then Chinese and foreign sources have reported that Deng is seriously ill from prostate cancer. Chinese officials have asserted that Deng is in good health and spent part of the summer resting at the seaside resort of Beidaihe.

Speculation that Deng was no longer capable of carrying out his official functions rose when he failed to meet the president of Burkina Faso during a recent visit.

Vice Premier Yao Yilin, however, reportedly recently told a delegation from Hong Kong that Deng would appear in public during Oct. 1 National Day celebrations.