New York-based TIME Magazine has released its 2014 World's 100 Most Influential People list, naming Chinese President Xi Jinping as one of the top influential world leaders along with Russian President Vladimir Putin and United States President Barack Obama.

The list was based on five categories that included leaders, artists, icons, pioneers and titans and recognized nominees without necessarily ranking them, TIME said during the release of this year's list on Thursday.

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President's Xi's inclusion in the prestigious list comes at a time that the Chinese president had recently embarked on international trips this year to meet his counterparts in different countries. His recent official overseas trip was in Europe.

The Chinese president also met, for the second time in his term, President Obama in the Netherlands on the sideline of the third Nuclear Security Summit in The Hague. During the meeting, Xi and Obama exchanged views on the different global issues, including the standoff in Ukraine, and vowed to further expand trade ties between China and the US.

In naming the Chinese president as one of the world's most influential leaders, TIME Magazine quoted former US ambassador Jon Huntsman who described President Xi as the most transformational leader of the world's most populous nation since Deng Xiaoping.

Hunstman went on in saying that President Xi's leadership style exudes confidence that has captured the attention of thought leaders around the globe.

The world, Huntsman said, will demand China's participation at the table of decision makers and President's Xi will soon become a first truly global leader to represent China, a country that has struggled with cohesion and unity for centuries.

Aside from the President Xi, three other Chinese personalities have also made it to this year's list of most influential people. These are Tencent Chairman and CEO Ma Huateng, Alibaba Chairman Ma Yun, and Chinese actress Yao Chen.