he did, stopped PLA self funding through commercial activities, oversee the return of HK, Macau, endured economic crisis in 1997, reform the economy, curbed inflation, joined WTO, banned FLG, etc.
Approved project 921 manned space programme.
Import Su-27 and indigenized it as J-11.
Allocated fund to CAC to develop J-10 in its most difficult time. Early phase of J-10 development was approved by Li Peng.
Under his slogan, demanded the development of AWACS after US blocked the sale of Phalcon. Today PLAAF is the second largest operator of AWACS.
Development of PAR and HHQ-9 in the late 90s laid the foundation for the first Chinese area defence ship 052C.
Revived carrier project.