Published by ChinaMNC · Zibo

What China's Long March 90th Anniversary Coverage Signals for Foreign Founders

A briefing for foreign founders on how to read official Chinese government communications, using the Long March 90th anniversary coverage as a practical example of source discipline, framing, and compliance-aware messaging.

Why a Political Anniversary Matters to Foreign Founders

Foreign founders registering or operating a company in China often encounter official communications that appear unrelated to business: commemorations, policy speeches, and leadership statements. These texts are part of the information environment in which regulators, partners, and local officials operate. Learning to read them accurately is a practical skill. The Zibo municipal government website republished coverage of the October 22 commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the Chinese Red Army's Long March, held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The source states that 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. Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Ning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi, and Vice President Han Zheng attended. Zhao Leji presided.

What the Source Actually Says

Event facts

The gathering took place on the morning of October 22 at the Great Hall of the People. According to the source, about 3,000 people attended, including central and Beijing officials, representatives of democratic parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, personages without party affiliation, veteran comrades, PLA and armed police personnel, and residents of the capital. The source notes that the hall displayed the event title, the CPC emblem, a "1936-2026" marker, and ten red flags, with a slogan on the second-floor gallery.

Content of the speech

The source reports that Xi described the Long March as lasting from October 1934 to October 1936, involving the First, Second, and Fourth Front Armies and the 25th Army. It states the march covered more than ten provinces and 25,000 li, broke through encirclement by over a million enemy troops, and completed a strategic transfer northward to resist Japanese aggression. Xi is reported to have identified four reasons for the victory: correct Party leadership, firm revolutionary will, independent and realistic decision-making, and support from the people. He also set out "five musts" for the new march: upholding the Party's ideals and purpose, promoting high-quality development, pursuing struggle with new historical characteristics while balancing development and security, building a world-class military, and strengthening Party leadership.

How to Use This as a Founder

• Treat official texts as primary sources. Quote only what the document states. Avoid inferring business rules, tax treatment, or approvals from commemorative content.
• Separate signal from substance. The source confirms themes such as high-quality development, balance of development and security, and Party leadership. It does not announce new foreign investment rules.
• Check the publishing channel. This item appears on a municipal government site under a "Today's Focus" section, republishing Xinhua content. For compliance purposes, verify any business-relevant claim against the issuing regulator.
• Keep communications neutral. When local staff or partners share such coverage, respond factually. Do not editorialize on political content in marketing materials.
• Document your sources. If you reference policy direction in internal planning, cite the exact page and date. The source page shows a publication timestamp of October 23, 2026.

Practical Takeaways for Registration and Operations

Nothing in this source changes company registration procedures, capital rules, or sector permissions. Founders should not read the "five musts" as new compliance obligations for foreign-invested enterprises. Instead, use the text to understand the vocabulary officials use: high-quality development, development and security, and Party leadership. That vocabulary appears in many policy documents, so familiarity helps when reading local notices or meeting officials. For actual registration steps, rely on the market regulation administration, the commerce authority, and your local service provider. For tax matters, rely on the tax bureau. For labor and social insurance, rely on the human resources and social security bureau.

Reading Leadership Statements Without Overreach

The source includes a summary by Zhao Leji describing the speech as political, ideological, and guiding, and calling for study and implementation. It also lists the "two确立," "four consciousnesses," "four confidences," and "two safeguards." These are Party formulations, not business regulations. Foreign founders should recognize them as standard political language and avoid paraphrasing them as legal requirements. If a counterparty cites such language in a contract or negotiation, ask for the specific rule or document being referenced.

Information Hygiene for Cross-Border Teams

Teams outside China may encounter republished political coverage and mistake it for policy change. A simple routine helps: identify the original issuer, check whether the text is news, speech, or regulation, and confirm whether any operative rule is cited. In this source, no operative rule is cited. The article is a news report of a commemoration. Treat it as context, not as a compliance checklist. Keep a folder of verified regulatory sources for each function: registration, tax, customs, labor, and data. Review it quarterly.

Bottom Line

The Zibo posting is a factual account of a high-level commemoration. For foreign founders, its value is methodological: it shows how official Chinese media frame history and policy, and it reinforces the need to separate political communication from binding business rules. Use it to sharpen source discipline, not to make operational decisions.

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