Published by ChinaMNC · Zhangye
China's Leadership Marks 90th Anniversary of the Long March: Signals for Foreign Founders Building Businesses in China
A practical briefing for foreign founders on what the October 22 commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the Red Army's Long March, and President Xi Jinping's address, indicate about the policy themes shaping China's business environment — and how to align your China company setup and operations accordingly.
What Happened
On the morning of October 22, a commemorative meeting marking the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' 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, President of the People's Republic of China, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered an important speech. 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, the event is worth reading not as history but as a policy signal. The speech set out themes — high-quality development, self-reliance grounded in facts, reliance on the people, coordination of development and security, and Party leadership — that recur across China's regulatory and economic policy documents. Understanding these themes helps founders anticipate the direction of policy affecting foreign-invested enterprises.
The Historical Narrative in Brief
Xi recalled that from October 1934 to October 1936, the Party led the Red Army's First, Second and Fourth Front Armies and the 25th Army on a march that crossed more than ten provinces and covered 25,000 li, breaking through encirclement and interception by over a million enemy troops. The march, he said, declared the total failure of the Kuomintang reactionaries' scheme to eliminate the Party and the Red Army, achieved the strategic transfer north to resist Japanese aggression, and opened a new phase of the Chinese revolution.
He described the Long March victory as inevitable and identified what he called the path to victory: correct Party leadership (including the establishment of Mao Zedong's core position), firm revolutionary will, independence and seeking truth from facts, and support from the broad masses.
Why This Matters for Foreign Founders
1. "Seeking truth from facts" points to pragmatic, context-specific regulation
Xi stressed that the basic tenets of Marxism can only solve China's problems and show vitality when closely combined with China's concrete reality. In practice, this is the intellectual basis for China's approach of adapting policy to local conditions — including the phased, pilot-based rollout of rules that foreign founders often encounter when registering a company or expanding across provinces. Expect continued experimentation rather than one-size-fits-all rules.
2. High-quality development is the stated economic priority
The speech called for unswervingly promoting high-quality development, meeting the people's growing needs for a better life, pursuing the "Five-Sphere Integrated Plan" and the "Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy," and achieving both qualitative improvement and reasonable quantitative growth in the economy, while promoting common prosperity for all.
For founders, the operative phrase is "qualitative improvement and reasonable quantitative growth." This is consistent with policy emphasis on upgrading industries, technology and efficiency rather than pure scale. Foreign-invested companies positioning themselves in advanced manufacturing, modern services, green technology or other upgrade-oriented sectors should find their narrative aligned with stated priorities — but must still comply with all applicable registration, licensing and sector-specific rules.
3. Development and security are to be coordinated
Xi called for better coordinating development and security, meeting difficulties, risks and challenges with a spirit of historical initiative. Foreign founders should read this as continued attention to regulatory risk management — data security, cybersecurity, supply-chain resilience and compliance — alongside growth. When structuring a China entity, build compliance and risk functions early rather than after scaling.
4. Reliance on the people signals continued focus on local relationships
The speech repeatedly emphasized rooting deeply in the people and maintaining close ties with the masses. For foreign founders, the practical translation is that local relationships — with partners, employees, local authorities and communities — remain central to operating successfully in China. This is not a legal requirement but a widely observed operating reality.
5. Party leadership frames the policy environment
Xi said the Party must remain the strong leadership core of socialism with Chinese characteristics, with continued full and rigorous Party self-governance. Foreign founders do not need to engage with Party affairs, but should recognize that policy direction is set centrally and implemented through government bodies. Monitoring official announcements remains the most reliable way to anticipate regulatory change.
Practical Takeaways for Founders
- Track official policy language. Speeches like this one often preview themes that later appear in regulations and guidance. Follow official government websites for updates relevant to your sector.
- Align your business story with stated priorities. If your company contributes to industrial upgrading, efficiency or high-quality development, say so clearly in your business plan and communications — without overstating claims.
- Build compliance and security into your setup. Given the emphasis on coordinating development and security, budget for data, cyber and supply-chain compliance from the entity-formation stage.
- Invest in local relationships. Cultivate transparent, professional ties with local authorities, partners and employees.
- Expect phased implementation. Rules may be piloted in certain regions before national rollout; plan for regional variation.
- Do not treat political events as legal advice. Registration, licensing, tax and sector rules are governed by specific laws and regulations, not by speeches. Engage qualified local counsel for your specific situation.
About the Event
Around 3,000 people attended, including leading officials from central Party, state, military and mass organizations and Beijing municipality, representatives of democratic parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and personages without party affiliation, veteran representatives, representatives of PLA and armed police personnel, and representatives of residents of the capital. Zhao Leji, who presided, described the speech as highly political, ideological and instructive, and summarized its requirements for carrying forward the Long March spirit as "five musts."
This summary is based on information published by the relevant Chinese government website and is general information, not legal or tax advice.