Deng Xiaoping

 https://www.quora.com/How-did-China-surpass-South-Korea-and-Japanese-firms-to-become-the-leader-in-display-panel-manufacturing-industry/answer/Kanthaswamy-Balasubramaniam

In 1983, China had picture tubes made locally and also picture tubes imported from Japan for their State manufactured TV brands

The Japanese imports were top class and the Chinese Picture Tubes were low low quality

Chinese families would save longer to buy Japanese and scoff at the Chinese product

So the Chinese Party members advised to close down the Chinese factory making picture tubes and negotiate with Japan on reducing prices of imports

Deng Xiaoping said they had to better the production of Picture Tubes and match Japanese Quality and beat it

The Chinese party members reacted like how most Indians like Balaji Viswanathan and friends would react

They said:

We have to be Practical

We are an Agrarian Country

We have so many poor people

We can't compare ourselves with Japan

Luckily Deng had power and commanded what he wanted and weeded out most people and retained only those he felt could carry out his vision.