Deng wanted for his team those who could contribute to the four modernizations. In particular, Deng was looking for officials capable of dealing with modern issues of foreign trade, finance, and technology and this in turn meant recruiting and promoting those with higher educational levels and with knowledge of science, technology, and management. As obvious as this may seem to leaders in many modern societies, in China at the time this represented a fundamental change. During Mao's era, being “red” had been more important than being “expert.”
