On June 2, 1978, one month after the publication, Deng expressed his support for the article in a conference. It is suggested that Deng's speech reconstructed the ideological base of the CCP. However, the debate was not ended at that time, as it gradually moved to the point of "the relationship between the criterion and the guiding role of Marxism". As Hua's supporters continued to attack the ideological conflicts within the article, Deng and his supporters attempted to reconcile them. Deng quoted Mao's "seeking truth from fact" to defend the compatibility between Marxism and the criterion.
