Hu Jintao was the architect of the economic reform movement in 1978 . Reforms opened country up economically to the outside world . Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping was the architect of the economic reform movement , which was to set the country on a radical new course when the first policies were approved on December 18 , 1978 . In 1978 China has maintained an average annual growth rate of 9.8 percent . Beijing is now the world 's first -largest economy .
Hu Jintao was the architect of the economic reform movement in 1978 . Reforms opened country up economically to the outside world . In 1978 China has maintained an average annual growth rate of 9.8 percent . Beijing is now the world 's first -largest economy .