Published by ChinaMNC · Xincai

What a Major State Ceremony Signals for Foreign Founders Building Companies in China

A ceremonial speech marking the 90th anniversary of the Long March offers foreign founders a window into the official themes—unity, resilience, self-reliance and long-term planning—that shape China's policy environment for business.

Why a Ceremony Matters to Founders

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

For foreign founders registering or operating a company in China, events of this kind are not merely ceremonial. They set out the vocabulary and priorities that later appear in policy documents, official guidance and local implementation. Understanding the framing helps founders anticipate how regulators and officials think about persistence, self-reliance, stability and long-term goals.

Core Themes in the Speech

Remembering history to look forward

Xi's central message, as reported, was that remembering history is the way to open the future. He called on the whole Party, the military and people of all ethnic groups to unite more closely around the Party Central Committee, carry forward the spirit of the Long March, keep working and press ahead with the cause opened by earlier generations.

The Long March in official terms

Xi described the Long March from October 1934 to October 1936, when the Party led the Red Army's First, Second and Fourth Front Armies and the 25th Army across more than ten provinces over 25,000 li, breaking through encirclement by more than a million enemy troops, completing a strategic shift north to resist Japanese aggression and opening a new phase of the Chinese revolution. The source states this had far-reaching influence on the process of national rejuvenation.

Four sources of victory

The speech attributed the outcome to four factors: correct Party leadership, with the establishment of Mao Zedong's core position described as decisive; firm revolutionary will and ideals; independence and seeking truth from facts, with Marxism applied to China's concrete realities; and support from the broad masses, described as the source of strength and a strong backing.

Xi said the spirit of the Long March embodies the power of loyalty, truth, justice and unity, and remains a valuable source of motivation for overcoming difficulties.

From history to current goals

Xi noted that since the victory, the Party has led successive "new long marches" in revolution, construction and reform. 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 met on schedule, and the country is now working toward the second centenary goal of building a great modern socialist country and advancing national rejuvenation through Chinese-style modernization.

The "Five Musts" and What They Signal

Xi set out five requirements for carrying forward the spirit and taking the new long march:

• Stay true to ideals and purpose and rely on the people to create new achievements.
• Promote high-quality development, pursue the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy, seek qualitative improvement and reasonable quantitative growth in the economy, and advance common prosperity.
• Pursue the great struggle with new historical features, better coordinate development and security, and tackle difficulties, risks and challenges with a sense of historical initiative.
• Build the people's military into a world-class force, uphold absolute Party leadership over the military, meet the centenary goal on schedule and advance defense and military modernization.
• Uphold Party leadership and strengthen Party building, with sustained full and rigorous self-governance.

Zhao Leji, who presided, said the speech reviewed the Long March, summarized its significance, explained the path to victory and set out the "five musts." He described the speech as politically, theoretically and practically instructive and called for it to be studied and implemented.

Practical Takeaways for Foreign Founders

Plan for long horizons

The emphasis on successive "long marches" and staged national goals reflects a policy culture that thinks in multi-year cycles. Founders should expect regulation, incentives and development plans to be framed over years rather than quarters, and build compliance and investment timelines accordingly.

Expect self-reliance and quality to shape policy

References to independence, applying theory to concrete realities, and high-quality development with both qualitative improvement and reasonable growth echo themes that recur in industrial and economic policy. Foreign companies should monitor how these priorities translate into sector-specific rules.

Watch the development-and-security balance

The call to better coordinate development and security is a reminder that regulatory attention may weigh risk alongside growth. Founders should maintain robust internal controls, data handling and reporting practices.

Understand the unity message

The speech stresses unity around the Party center and the role of the people. For operators, this underscores the value of engaging constructively with local authorities and communities where a business is established.

Attendance and setting

About 3,000 people attended, including central and Beijing officials, representatives of democratic parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, non-Party figures, veterans, military and armed police representatives, and residents of the capital. The hall displayed the event title, the Party emblem, the marker "1936–2026" and ten red flags.

None of this changes registration procedures or tax rules directly. It is context: a statement of official priorities that founders can use to read the direction of policy discussion.

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