The Lang–Gu dispute was a dispute in China about the privatization process adopted during Deng Xiaoping's reform and opening up. New Left academic Larry Lang, a critic of the reforms, accused a private entrepreneur, Gu Chujun, of having usurped state assets. Gu was later imprisoned in January 2008. This incidence had a short-term effect on the Chinese government, who halted privatizations after the debate. Generally, Chinese academic has reservation about this debate.