
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, August 1, 1993                   TAG: 9308010084
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-7   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: BEIJING                                LENGTH: Short

DAUGHTER'S BOOK REVEALS CHINESE LEADER'S SECRETS

Deng Xiaoping isn't the kind to talk about his personal life. But his youngest daughter Xiao Rong is, and her intimate biography of the Chinese leader seems certain to be a best seller.

The book won't be on sale until September, but excerpts already printed have revealed some unusually personal glimpses:

When Deng visited France in 1974 and 1975 as vice premier, he smuggled back bags of croissants to China to share with then-Premier Zhou En-lai.

His famous addiction to bridge was acquired in the army in the 1920s.

His second wife divorced him in 1933 when he hit his first patch of political trouble.

Xiao has written short articles about her father's life, but this will be the first extended biography by any family member of the man who has steered China to unprecedented prosperity as its top leader for the past 15 years.

Xiao serves as top aide to her father, who turns 89 on Aug. 22.

- Associated Press

by CNB