On Feb 19, 1997, Deng Xiaoping died in Beijing at the age of 93.

The CPC Central Committee, the NPC Standing Committee, the State Council, the CPPCC National Committee and Central Military Commission issued a public notice describing Deng as a great Marxist, a great Proletarian revolutionary, a statesman, a military strategist and a diplomat. He was hailed as one of the main leaders of the Communist Party of China, the People's Liberation Army of China and the People's Republic of China.

The notice described him as the great architect of China's?reform and opening-up policy and modernized construction and the founder of the theory to build socialism with Chinese characteristics.

On Feb 25, 1997, Deng Xiaoping's funeral was held. Then-president Jiang Zemin praised Deng. On March 2, Deng Xiaoping's ashes were cast into the sea in accordance with the wishes of Deng and his relatives.