Published by ChinaMNC · Songming

What a Major National Commemoration Signals for Foreign Founders Building in China

A policy-culture briefing for foreign founders: how official language at the 90th anniversary commemoration of the Long March reflects China's governance priorities, and what it means for planning, compliance and long-term company operations in China.

Why a National Commemoration Matters to Foreign Founders

Foreign founders often ask which signals from Beijing actually matter for their China strategy. Official commemorations are one such signal. On 22 October, a grand gathering 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. Senior leaders Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Vice President Han Zheng attended, with Zhao Leji presiding.

Read as a business signal rather than a history lesson, the event highlights the themes that shape policy communication in China: leadership, long-term planning, self-reliance, and close ties with the public. For founders registering or operating a company in China, understanding this framing helps you anticipate how regulators and local governments talk about development, risk and reform.

What the Source Actually Says

The historical narrative

According to the source, Xi reviewed the period from October 1934 to October 1936, when the Party led the Red Army's First, Second and Fourth Front Armies and the 25th Army on the Long March. The source states the march crossed more than ten provinces, covered 25,000 li, broke through encirclement by over a million enemy troops, and achieved a strategic shift northward to resist Japanese aggression.

The four explanations of victory

The speech attributes the outcome to several factors, as reported:

• Correct Party leadership, with the establishment of Mao Zedong's core position described as decisive.
• Firm revolutionary will and belief, described as an unbeatable force.
• Independence and self-reliance combined with seeking truth from facts, with Marxism applied to China's concrete realities.
• Support from the broad masses, described as the source of strength for the Party and the army.

The five requirements

For the new journey, the speech set out requirements that the source summarises as: upholding the Party's ideals, beliefs and purpose; pursuing high-quality development and common prosperity; conducting a great struggle with new historical characteristics while balancing development and security; building the military into a world-class force; and strengthening Party leadership and full and rigorous Party self-governance.

Zhao Leji, who presided, described the speech as political, ideological and instructive, and called for it to be studied and implemented. The source also notes the attendance of Politburo members, Secretariat members, a CMC vice chairman, NPC Standing Committee vice chairpersons, State Councillors, the President of the Supreme People's Court and CPPCC vice chairpersons, along with about 3,000 participants including representatives from central and Beijing departments, democratic parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, non-Party figures, veterans, military personnel and residents.

Translating the Themes into Practical Guidance

1. Expect continuity, not sudden reversals

The emphasis on long-term struggle and successive stages suggests that China's policy direction is presented as continuous. For founders, this means building a China entity with a multi-year horizon: choose your legal representative, registered capital and business scope with growth in mind, and keep your governance documents aligned with how you intend to operate later.

2. Development and security are framed together

The source explicitly links development with security. In practice, foreign founders should treat compliance as part of growth planning: data handling, cybersecurity, labour, tax and foreign exchange matters deserve early attention rather than afterthought. Companies that document their internal controls tend to move through registration and licensing more smoothly.

3. Self-reliance as a localisation signal

The repeated reference to applying general principles to China's concrete conditions is a reminder that localisation matters. For a foreign-invested enterprise, that can mean localising management, supply chains and customer support, and preparing Chinese-language materials for filings and contracts.

4. High-quality development and common prosperity

Where the source speaks of quality-driven growth, meeting rising living standards and common prosperity, founders can read a preference for businesses whose value proposition aligns with domestic priorities. Positioning your product or service around productivity, sustainability or broad access is generally easier to explain to local partners and authorities than purely extractive models.

5. Leadership and governance discipline

The stress on Party leadership and self-governance underlines the importance of clear accountability inside organisations. Foreign founders should mirror that clarity: a defined board, documented decision rights and a designated China contact person reduce friction with banks, landlords and regulators.

A Realistic Operating Checklist

Based on the themes above, consider the following before or shortly after incorporation:

• Structure: confirm the right entity type and registered address, and verify that your business scope covers planned activities.
• Documentation: prepare notarised and translated incorporation documents and keep them current when shareholders or directors change.
• Compliance calendar: map annual reporting, tax filings and licence renewals.
• Local team: identify a responsible person in China and clarify authority for banking and government-facing matters.
• Risk review: assess data, employment and contract exposure early.

Bottom Line

The commemoration is a domestic political event, not an investment policy announcement. Its practical value to foreign founders is in the language it reinforces: continuity, localisation, balanced development and security, and disciplined governance. Founders who reflect those priorities in their China setup are generally better prepared for the questions they will face from partners and authorities.

Foreign founders can contact ChinaMNC on WhatsApp / WeChat at +86 153 1898 8535 for help registering and operating a company in China.

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