Mao's successor was a three-person collective leadership composed of DENG Xiaoping, Hua Guofeng, and Teng Hsiao-ping. DENG Xiaoping was the most influential leader in the collective, and he was responsible for the implementation of economic reforms that led to China's rapid economic growth. Hua Guofeng was Mao's chosen successor, and he was responsible for maintaining Mao's legacy and continuing his policies. Teng Hsiao-ping was the architect of China's economic reforms, and he was responsible for introducing market-oriented policies that helped to modernize the Chinese economy.