Published by ChinaMNC · Maguan

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

A high-level commemoration in Beijing offers foreign founders a window into the policy themes and leadership priorities shaping China's business environment — and practical prompts for planning company registration and operations.

A National Moment, and Why Founders Should Notice

On October 22, 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. 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, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, Li Xi and Vice President Han Zheng attended. Zhao Leji presided over the event.

For foreign founders, official occasions like this are not merely ceremonial. The language used at the top of China's political system tends to echo through policy priorities — and policy priorities shape how companies are registered, regulated and supported. Reading the signals carefully can help founders anticipate the direction of the operating environment rather than react to it after the fact.

The Core Message: Remembering History to Open the Future

Xi emphasized that remembering history is the way to open up the future. He called on the whole Party, the military and people of all ethnic groups to unite more closely around the Party Central Committee, carry forward the spirit of the Long March, keep striving and press ahead, advance the cause pioneered by earlier generations, and create new achievements on the new Long March.

Xi noted that from October 1934 to October 1936, the Party led the Red Army's First, Second and Fourth Front Armies and the 25th Army in a Long March that spanned more than ten provinces, covered 25,000 li, broke through the encirclement and interception of more than a million enemy troops, and achieved a strategic transfer northward to resist Japanese aggression.

He identified several sources of that victory: correct Party leadership, firm revolutionary will, independent and realistic decision-making, and the support of the broad masses of the people. He stressed that the basic tenets of Marxism must be closely combined with China's concrete realities to solve China's problems, and that the Party must stay deeply rooted in the people and maintain close ties with them.

From History to the Present: Development, Security and Quality Growth

The speech then connected the Long March to current national goals. Xi said that since the victory 90 years ago, the Party has led the people through a series of great marches across the periods of revolution, construction and reform. Since the 18th Party Congress, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era, and the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects has been achieved on schedule. He said the country is now working on the new journey toward building a great modern socialist country in all respects, realizing the second centenary goal, and advancing national rejuvenation through Chinese-style modernization.

He set out several requirements for carrying forward the Long March spirit on the new journey:

• Stay committed to the Party's ideals, convictions and purpose, and rely closely on the people to create new achievements.
• Advance high-quality development to meet the people's growing needs for a better life, coordinate the Five-Sphere Integrated Plan and the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy, promote both a qualitative improvement and a reasonable quantitative growth of the economy, and pursue common prosperity for all.
• Carry out the great struggle with many new historical features, better coordinate development and security, and overcome difficulties, risks and challenges with a sense of historical initiative.
• Speed up building the people's military into a world-class military, uphold the Party's absolute leadership over the military, meet the centenary goal of the armed forces on schedule, and modernize national defense and the military.
• Uphold Party leadership and strengthen Party building, continue full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, and ensure the Party remains the strong leadership core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

Zhao Leji said in presiding over the event that Xi's speech reviewed the great course of the Long March, summarized its significance, revealed the winning path it contains, and explained the historical value of the Long March spirit. He described the speech as highly political, thoughtful and instructive, and called for it to be studied and implemented. He also set out the familiar framework of upholding the leadership of the Party Central Committee with Xi as the core, being guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and understanding the significance of the "two确立" and strengthening the "four consciousnesses," "four confidences" and "two upholdings."

What This Means in Practice for Foreign Founders

This is a commemorative political event, not a business regulation, and it does not change registration rules or tax policy. Still, several themes are worth noting for founders setting up and running a company in China.

1. Development and security are treated as a pair

The speech links development with security and calls for coordinating the two. In practice, foreign-invested companies should expect scrutiny in areas touching data, cybersecurity, export controls, and cross-border flows of information and capital. Build compliance into your operating model from the start rather than treating it as an afterthought.

2. Quality growth is the stated priority

High-quality development and the qualitative improvement of the economy are framed as central goals. For founders, that suggests sectors aligned with advanced manufacturing, technology upgrading, green transition and domestic demand may find a more receptive policy environment than low-value, high-resource-consumption activities.

3. Local roots and local ties matter

Repeated emphasis on staying close to the people and relying on public support is a reminder that local relationships matter. Registering in the right place, understanding local government priorities, and building genuine local partnerships can affect how smoothly a company operates.

4. Leadership continuity is the baseline assumption

The event underscores continuity in the political leadership and its policy framework. Founders planning multi-year investments should assume policy direction remains stable at the top level, while implementation details at the local level can still vary and shift.

Practical Next Steps

Foreign founders should not read a commemorative speech as a checklist. Instead, use it as context when making decisions about entity structure, sector choice, data handling and local partnerships. Confirm current requirements with qualified local professionals, and keep your compliance posture current as implementing rules evolve.

If you are planning to register a company in China or are already operating one and want to align your structure with the current policy environment, ChinaMNC can help. Foreign founders can contact ChinaMNC on WhatsApp / WeChat at +86 153 1898 8535 for assistance with 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.