China commemorates Sun Yat-sen's 151st birth anniversary

China today commemorated the 151st birth anniversary of Sun Yat-sen, the founding father of the Republic of China (ROC) following the overthrow of the monarchy.
Sun played an instrumental role in the overthrow of the Qing dynasty (the last imperial dynasty of China) during the years leading up to the Xinhai Revolution. He was appointed to serve as Provisional President of the ROC when it was founded in 1912.
The ROC later became the People's Republic of China (PRC) after the Mao Zedong-led Communist Party of China came to power in 1949.
Today's event was held by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's political advisory body, in Beijing's Zhongshan Park, which is named after Sun, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Born in 1866 in south China's Guangdong Province, Sun was the founder of the Kuomintang Party and is a revered revolutionary leader who played a pivotal role in overthrowing imperial rule in China.
Officials from the CPPCC National Committee, the National People's Congress Standing Committee, the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang Central Committee, the United Front Work Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, and the Beijing municipal government, laid flowers at Sun's statue.