Published by ChinaMNC · Jiangzhou
What China’s Long March 90th Anniversary Means for Foreign Founders
A policy-signal briefing for foreign entrepreneurs: how the 90th anniversary of the Long March and Xi Jinping’s speech frame China’s current priorities, and what to watch when registering or operating a company in China.
Why a Historical Commemoration Matters to Founders
On October 22, a major commemorative meeting 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 an important speech. Senior leaders Li Qiang, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, and Han Zheng attended; Zhao Leji presided. Roughly 3,000 people participated, including central and Beijing officials, representatives of democratic parties and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, non-party personages, veterans, military personnel, and residents of the capital.
For foreign founders, this is not a business announcement. It is a high-level political signal about the values and priorities that shape China’s policy environment. The article below extracts only what the source states and translates it into practical watchpoints for company registration and operations.
What the Source Actually Says
The historical framing
Xi reviewed the Long March from October 1934 to October 1936, when the Party led the First, Second, and Fourth Front Armies and the 25th Army across more than ten provinces over 25,000 li. The source says the Red Army broke through encirclement and interception by over a million enemy troops, declared the complete failure of the Kuomintang reactionaries’ plot to eliminate the Party and the Red Army, achieved a strategic shift north to resist Japanese aggression, and opened a new phase of the Chinese revolution.
The “five musts” for the new journey
Xi described the new journey as a new Long March and set out five requirements:
- Stay true to the Party’s ideals, beliefs, and purpose, fully implement “socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era” thought, remember the original mission, and rely on the people.
- Steadily pursue high-quality development and meet people’s growing needs for a better life; coordinate the “Five-Sphere Integrated Plan” and the “Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy”; achieve both qualitative improvement and reasonable quantitative growth in the economy; promote common prosperity for all.
- Conduct the great struggle with many new historical characteristics; better coordinate development and security; overcome difficulties, risks, and challenges with historical initiative.
- Accelerate building the people’s military into a world-class military; uphold the Party’s absolute leadership over the military; meet the centenary goal of military building on schedule; advance defense and military modernization with quality.
- Uphold Party leadership and strengthen Party building; continue full and rigorous Party self-governance; achieve self-purification, self-improvement, self-innovation, and self-enhancement; ensure the Party remains the strong leadership core of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
Zhao Leji, who presided, said the speech reviews the Party’s leadership of the Red Army’s Long March, summarizes the significance of the victory, reveals the “winning path,” explains the historical value of the Long March spirit, and sets out the “five musts.” He called the speech politically, ideologically, and practically guiding and urged careful study and implementation.
How This Translates into Practical Guidance for Foreign Founders
The source does not mention foreign investment, company registration, tax, or sector-specific rules. The following points are therefore general, inference-based watchpoints drawn from the stated priorities—not new policy measures.
1. Expect continuity in the registration framework
The speech emphasizes upholding Party leadership and implementing current guiding thought. For founders, that suggests the existing company-law and foreign-investment framework is likely to remain the reference point. Prepare standard documents—business scope, registered capital, legal representative, and shareholder information—and verify current requirements with local authorities or professional advisers before filing.
2. Align with “high-quality development”
The stated focus on high-quality development, the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan, and the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy signals continued attention to economic quality and reasonable growth. When drafting your business plan, describe how your project fits priority areas such as advanced manufacturing, modern services, or technology-enabled efficiency, using only verifiable facts about your own operations. Avoid claiming government endorsement.
3. Build development-and-security compliance into operations
“Better coordinate development and security” is a clear theme. Practical steps include maintaining accurate data maps, reviewing cross-border data flows, and keeping clear records for cybersecurity and data-protection compliance. These are standard good practices; consult qualified advisers on your specific situation.
4. Prepare for “common prosperity” expectations
The speech mentions promoting common prosperity for all. For employers, this can mean attention to lawful labor contracts, social insurance, workplace safety, and fair treatment of employees. Ensure your HR policies comply with applicable labor rules and keep documentation complete.
5. Monitor military-related and dual-use sensitivities
The source discusses accelerating a world-class military and defense modernization. If your business involves dual-use technologies, export-controlled items, or supply chains with military end-users, conduct enhanced due diligence and seek specialist legal advice on export-control and investment-review rules.
What This Article Does Not Tell You
The source contains no new tax incentives, no registration fast-tracks, no sector-opening measures, and no guarantees for foreign investors. It is a commemorative political speech. Founders should not treat it as a substitute for the official foreign-investment negative list, company registration rules, or local implementation guidance.
Action Checklist Before You Register
- Confirm your proposed business scope against current catalogues and local practice.
- Verify registered-capital and contribution-timeline requirements with the local market regulation authority.
- Map your data flows and assess cybersecurity and data-protection obligations.
- Review labor, social-insurance, and workplace-safety compliance for your hiring plan.
- Screen products and technology for export-control and investment-review exposure.
- Engage qualified local counsel or licensed agents for filing and tax matters.
This summary is based on information published by the relevant Chinese government website and is general information, not legal or tax advice.