ANKARA 

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday paid tribute to Mao Zedong, founding father of the country, on the 130th anniversary of the late leader's birthday, state-run media reported.

Xi, along with members of the Politburo Standing Committee, attended an event organized at Great Hall of the People.

"Mao led the people in blazing a trail for adapting Marxism to the Chinese context, forging the great, glorious and correct CPC (Communist Party of China) and founding the New China with the people being masters of the country," Xinhua News quoted Xi as saying while addressing the gathering.

He added that the late leader made indelible historic contributions to the Chinese nation and Chinese people, which will go down in history.

Born in 1893, Mao was the leader of the Chinese Communist Party, the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA). He served as the chairman of the PRC from 1949 till his death in 1976, and is considered one of the most influential and decisive figures in modern world history.

China commemorates Mao's birthday at state level every ten years.

He implemented very disputed policies such as "cultural revolution," a different interpretation of Marxism.

His embalmed body in the mausoleum in Tianmamen Square, a foremost gathering center in China, is still attracted by many visitors.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid