meself here is the dictionary definition of communism
a theory or system of social organization in which all property is owned by the community and each person contributes and receives according to their ability and needs.
Maos political policies did not do that, therefore he was not a true communist
here is a quote from wiki which show a couple of his policies and their results
In 1957, he launched the Great Leap Forward campaign that aimed to rapidly transform China's economy from an agrarian economy to an industrial one. The campaign led to a widespread famine, whose death toll is estimated at between 18 and 45 million. In 1966, he initiated the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, a program to remove "counter-revolutionary" elements of Chinese society that lasted 10 years and which was marked by violent class struggle.
the great leap forward did not result in property being owned by the community and people receiving unto their needs, it resulted in famine.
Mao was an egomaniacal imbecile