Trading up: At the heart of Deng’s reforms was the process of opening up China to the world after years of isolation. Although Deng died in 1997, the spirit of his reforms continued, reaching a seminal moment with China’s accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001. Membership in the WTO provided China with new trading opportunities while also forcing Chinese companies to compete with foreign companies. Here, a billboard in Beijing on Dec. 23, 2001, welcomes China’s membership into the WTO.