China an inspiration to world revolutions: Venezuela's Chavez

CARACAS - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Thursday congratulated Chinese leader Hu Jintao on China's 60th anniversary of communist rule which he said had been an inspiration to the world.

"Comrade, this glorious date, which has inspired world revolutions, gives rise in me to a limitless admiration," the firebrand leftist leader said in a statement read on official VTV channel

China "shows us that socialism is a possible and necessary path for the emancipation of our peoples," he added.

"I am more convinced than ever that it is time to unite the forces of our nations to consolidate this model of social justice," Chavez said, also paying tribute to the Cuban and Libyan revolutions.

China on Thursday celebrated 60 years of communist rule with a military parade and elaborate pageant on Beijing's Tiananmen Square showcasing the nation's revival as a global power.

Beijing and Caracas have strengthened their military and economic ties in recent years.