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China: Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping, Beijing,1959.

Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung (26 December 1893 – 9 September 1976), was a Chinese communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, author, political theorist, and leader of the Chinese Revolution.

Commonly referred to as Chairman Mao, he was the architect of the People's Republic of China (PRC) from its establishment in 1949, and held authoritarian control over the nation until his death in 1976. His theoretical contribution to Marxism-Leninism, along with his military strategies and brand of political policies, are now collectively known as Maoism.

Deng Xiaoping (Teng Hsiao-p'ing; 22 August 1904 – 19 February 1997) was a Chinese politician, statesman, theorist, and diplomat. As leader of the Communist Party of China, Deng was a reformer who led China towards a market economy. While Deng never held office as the head of state, head of government or General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (historically the highest position in Communist China), he nonetheless served as the paramount leader of the People's Republic of China from 1978 to 1992.