Published by ChinaMNC ยท Ganxian
What a High-Level Beijing Commemoration Signals for Foreign Founders Building in China
A 90th-anniversary commemoration in Beijing offered a window into the policy language China's leadership uses. Here is how foreign founders can read the signals without overreacting to a single event.
A Ceremony Worth Reading Carefully
On 22 October, a commemorative event marking the 90th anniversary of the Chinese Red Army's Long March was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. According to the official account carried by Xinhua, 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. Other senior leaders present included Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Han Zheng. Zhao Leji presided.
For a foreign founder registering or operating a company in China, a political commemoration is not a business story on its face. But the language used at these events shapes how officials at every level talk about development, risk, self-reliance and long-term planning. Reading it helps you anticipate the tone of regulation and public policy in the years ahead, even though it contains nothing that changes registration forms or tax rules by itself.
The Core Message in Plain Terms
The official report sums up the speech's central point as: remembering history is how a nation opens its future. The party, the military and people of all ethnic groups were urged to unite closely around the party leadership, carry forward the spirit of the Long March, keep working, and push forward the cause begun by earlier generations.
The event itself was formal. The auditorium featured a banner marking the 90th anniversary, the party emblem, the marker "1936-2026" and ten red flags. A slogan on the second-floor gallery called for unity around the party center, implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, carrying forward the Long March spirit, and advancing national rejuvenation through Chinese-style modernization.
What the Speech Emphasized
The speech reviewed the Long March from October 1934 to October 1936, when the Red Army's First, Second and Fourth Front Armies and the 25th Army undertook a major strategic transfer. The official text notes that the march crossed more than ten provinces, covered 25,000 li, broke through encirclement by a vastly larger enemy force, and achieved the planned move north to resist Japanese aggression.
Xi identified several sources of the march's success: correct party leadership and the establishment of Mao Zedong's core position; firm revolutionary will and faith; independence and a fact-based approach, in which Marxist principles must be closely combined with China's concrete realities; and support from the people, described as the source of strength for the party and the military.
Why the "fact-based" phrasing matters to founders
The emphasis on combining general theory with China's actual conditions is a familiar formulation. In practice, it signals that policy will be justified by local conditions rather than imported templates. For foreign companies, that is a reminder that China-specific market entry structures, local partnership choices and compliance arrangements tend to be evaluated on their fit with local rules and realities, not on how familiar they are elsewhere.
From History to Current Priorities
The speech tied the anniversary to present-day goals. It noted that since the march's victory, the party has led successive "long marches" across revolution, construction and reform. It stated that since the 18th Party Congress, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era; that the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects has been achieved on schedule; and that 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 report lists five "musts" for the new journey:
- Stay anchored in the party's ideals, beliefs and purpose, implement the thought of socialism with Chinese characteristics for the new era, remember the original mission, and rely on the people.
- Push high-quality development to meet people's growing needs for a better life, coordinate the "Five-Sphere Integrated Plan" and the "Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy," seek qualitative improvement and reasonable quantitative growth in the economy, and promote common prosperity.
- Take on great struggles with new historical features, better coordinate development and security, and overcome 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 of military building on schedule, and modernize national defense and the military.
- Uphold party leadership and strengthen party building, continue full and rigorous self-governance, and ensure the party remains the strong leadership core of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
How Foreign Founders Can Use This
Treat this as context, not a compliance checklist. Several practical readings are reasonable.
1. Expect continuity, not sudden shifts
The text stresses long-term goals and sustained effort. For founders, the practical implication is to plan on multi-year horizons, budget for policy continuity, and avoid building a business model that depends on a single short-term window.
2. Watch the development-and-security pairing
The call to "better coordinate development and security" appears alongside economic goals. In day-to-day operations, that framing is consistent with attention to data handling, cybersecurity, supply-chain resilience and regulatory compliance. Founders should treat these as standing functions rather than one-off registration tasks.
3. Note the emphasis on quality of growth
Language about qualitative improvement and reasonable quantitative growth suggests continued focus on the structure of investment and output. When drafting a business plan or applying for incentives, a clear account of technology, employment and local value creation is likely to be more useful than headline revenue projections alone.
4. Do not over-read a single ceremony
Nothing in the source changes company registration procedures, foreign investment rules or tax obligations. The event is a political commemoration. Use it to understand official vocabulary, then verify every actual requirement with the competent authority or a qualified adviser.
The Details of the Event
The report states that around 3,000 people attended, including leading officials from central party, state, military and mass organizations and from Beijing; representatives of democratic parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and personages without party affiliation; representatives of veteran comrades; representatives of PLA and armed police personnel; and representatives of residents of the capital. Also present were Politburo members and secretaries of the Secretariat in Beijing, 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.
Zhao Leji, who presided, said the speech reviewed the party's leadership of the Red Army's march, summarized the significance of the victory, explained the sources of success, and set out the "five musts." He described the speech as politically, ideologically and practically instructive and called for it to be studied and implemented.
Bottom Line for Founders
Read official communications for vocabulary and priorities, then act on concrete rules. If you are registering a company, opening a bank account, hiring staff or applying for licenses, the controlling documents remain the relevant laws, regulations and local implementation notices. A commemoration speech is useful background for understanding how officials frame development and security; it is not a substitute for due diligence on your specific structure and sector.
This summary is based on information published by the relevant Chinese government website and is general information, not legal or tax advice.