Published by ChinaMNC · Yiyuan

What a National Commemoration Says to Foreign Founders Operating in China

A government-level commemoration in Beijing offers foreign founders a window into how official messaging frames continuity, long-term planning and collective effort — themes relevant to building a compliant, durable business presence in China.

A High-Level Ceremony, and Why It Matters to Founders

On 22 October, a commemorative gathering marking the 90th anniversary of the Red Army's Long March was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. According to the source, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, state president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered an important speech. Senior leaders Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Vice President Han Zheng attended; Zhao Leji presided.

For foreign founders, official occasions like this are not merely ceremonial. They show which themes the government chooses to emphasize publicly — themes that often echo through policy communication, administrative priorities and the tone of local government engagement with business. Reading them carefully helps founders anticipate how officials at provincial and municipal levels may frame expectations about patience, compliance and long-term commitment.

What the Source Says Happened

The setting and the symbols

The source describes a solemn, formal atmosphere in the auditorium. A banner above the rostrum read “Commemoration of the 90th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army's Long March,” with the Party emblem at the center of the backdrop, the marker “1936–2026” beneath it, and ten red flags flanking the stage. A slogan on the second-floor gallery called for unity around the Party Central Committee with Xi Jinping at the core, implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, carrying forward the spirit of the Long March, and striving for national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization.

The source states the proceedings began at 10 a.m., when Zhao Leji announced the start and all present stood to sing the national anthem. Xi then delivered his speech to applause.

Who was honored

According to the source, Xi expressed respect on behalf of the Party Central Committee, the State Council and the Central Military Commission — and on behalf of the whole Party, the military and people of all ethnic groups — to older-generation revolutionaries including Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai and Zhu De; to Red Army officers and soldiers who fought in the Long March and persisted in revolutionary struggle elsewhere; to the people of all ethnic groups, especially those in revolutionary base areas, who supported the Long March; and to all surviving Red Army veterans. He proposed that all stand and observe a moment of silence for revolutionary martyrs who died during the Long March and in revolutionary struggles elsewhere.

The historical account

The source reports Xi's description of the Long March from October 1934 to October 1936, when the Party led the First, Second and Fourth Front Armies and the 25th Army. He said the Red Army crossed more than ten provinces, covered 25,000 li, broke through encirclement and interception by more than a million enemy troops, declared the Kuomintang reactionaries' scheme to eliminate the Party and the Red Army a complete failure, achieved a strategic transfer northward to resist Japanese aggression, and opened a new situation for the Chinese revolution. He called it an earth-shaking revolutionary feat of great significance in the history of the Party, the state and the military, with far-reaching influence on the process of national rejuvenation.

Four Themes in the Speech

The source states that Xi stressed that revisiting history is about drawing wisdom and strength for progress, and that the victory of the Long March was inevitable, containing the winning formula by which the Party and the people's army advanced.

• Correct leadership. The source says the path of victory was walked by relying on the Party's correct leadership, and that the establishment of the Party's correct leadership and of Comrade Mao Zedong's core position was decisive for the victory.
• Firm revolutionary will. The source says the path was walked by relying on firm revolutionary will, and that revolutionary ideals and convictions can unleash immense power against stubborn enemies and mountains — a force with lofty ideals and firm conviction is invincible.
• Independence and seeking truth from facts. The source says the path was walked by relying on independence and seeking truth from facts, and that only by closely integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China's concrete reality can China's problems be solved and vitality be demonstrated.
• Support of the people. The source says the path was walked by relying on the support of the broad masses, who are always the source of strength and firm backing of the Party and the people's army; as long as the Party is deeply rooted in the people and maintains close ties with them, its cause will prevail.

The spirit as a lasting resource

According to the source, Xi said the Red Army's Long March created an extraordinary human miracle and forged the great Long March spirit, which shows the power of loyalty, truth, justice and unity. As part of the spiritual lineage of Chinese Communists, he said, it transcends time and remains a valuable asset and strong motivation for overcoming difficulties and pressing forward.

From History to Present-Day Priorities

The source reports Xi's statement that the history of the Long March has never receded and that its road keeps extending. Since the victory 90 years ago, the Party has united and led the people through repeated great long marches across the periods of revolution, construction and reform, winning victory after victory. Since the 18th Party Congress, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era; the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects has been achieved on schedule, historic achievements and changes have been made, and the country is now working on the second centenary goal of building a great modern socialist country and advancing national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization.

The “five musts”

The source states Xi described the new journey as an expedition full of glory and dreams — a new long march for the Party and the people — and set out requirements for carrying forward the Long March spirit:

• Uphold the Party's ideals, convictions and purpose, fully implement the Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, remember the original mission, and rely closely on the people to create new historic achievements.
• Unswervingly promote high-quality development and meet the people's growing needs for a better life; coordinate the “Five-Sphere Integrated Plan” and the “Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy”; promote effective qualitative improvement and reasonable quantitative growth of the economy; and advance common prosperity for all.
• Be courageous in carrying out the great struggle with many new historical features, better coordinate development and security, and overcome difficulties, risks and challenges with a spirit of historical initiative.
• Accelerate building the people's army into a world-class military, uphold the Party's absolute leadership over it, achieve the centenary goal of military building on schedule, and advance high-quality national defense and military modernization.
• Uphold Party leadership and strengthen Party building, persist in full and rigorous Party self-governance, and ensure the Party remains the strong leading core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Zhao Leji, presiding over the meeting, said Xi's speech reviewed the great course of the Long March, summarized the significance of its victory, revealed the winning formula it contained, expounded the historical value of the Long March spirit, and set out the “five musts.” He described the speech as strongly political, thoughtful and instructive, and called for it to be studied, understood and implemented.

Attendance and Scale

Per the source, attendees included members of the Political Bureau and the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee, vice chairmen of the Central Military Commission, vice chairmen of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, state councilors, the president of the Supreme People's Court and vice chairmen of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. About 3,000 people took part, including principal officials of central Party, state, military and mass organization departments and of Beijing municipality; leaders of central committees of democratic parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and representatives of personages without party affiliation; representatives of veteran comrades; representatives of PLA and armed police officers and soldiers; and representatives of residents of the capital from all walks of life.

Reading This as a Founder

Three observations follow from the source itself, without extrapolation. First, official communication places heavy weight on continuity — the source repeatedly frames present goals as the extension of a long historical process. Foreign founders should expect interlocutors to value sustained commitment rather than short-term positioning. Second, the emphasis on planning frameworks such as high-quality development and coordinated development and security mirrors the way regulators and local governments talk about their own mandates. Third, the source's attention to a broad coalition of participants — officials, organizations and ordinary residents — reflects a consultative style of public life that founders will encounter when engaging chambers of commerce, industry associations and local authorities.

None of this replaces specific legal, registration or tax guidance. Foreign founders should verify requirements directly with the competent authorities in the jurisdiction where they intend to establish a presence, and should rely on qualified local professionals for entity setup, capital and reporting obligations.

This summary is based on information published by the relevant Chinese government website and is general information, not legal or tax advice.