Published by ChinaMNC · Shangshui

What a Major State Ceremony Signals for Foreign Founders Building Companies in China

A look at the October 22, 2026 commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the Long March, and how foreign founders can read official signals when registering and operating a company in China.

Why a State Ceremony Matters to Foreign Founders

Foreign founders often ask how to interpret high-level official events in China. On October 22, 2026, a major commemoration was held at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing marking the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army's Long March. 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 Han Zheng attended, and Zhao Leji presided over the meeting.

For founders registering or operating a company in China, such events are not directly about business registration. However, they set the tone for policy priorities that shape the operating environment. This article summarizes the facts of the event and translates the recurring themes into practical watchpoints for foreign-invested enterprises.

What Happened at the Event

Date, venue and format

The commemoration took place on the morning of October 22 at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. The auditorium was decorated for the occasion, with a banner reading "Commemoration of the 90th Anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army's Long March," the CPC emblem, the marker "1936–2026," and ten red flags. A slogan on the second-floor balcony called for unity around the Party Central Committee, implementation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, carrying forward the Long March spirit, and striving for national development and rejuvenation through Chinese-style modernization.

Around 3,000 people attended, according to the source, including leading officials from central Party, state, military and mass organizations and from Beijing; representatives of central committees of democratic parties, the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and personages without party affiliation; representatives of veteran comrades; representatives of PLA and armed police personnel; and representatives of residents of the capital.

Content of the speech

Xi Jinping, on behalf of the Party Central Committee, the State Council and the Central Military Commission, paid tribute to the older-generation revolutionaries who led the Red Army, to Red Army officers and soldiers, to the people of all ethnic groups who supported the Long March, and to surviving Red Army veterans. He proposed a moment of silence for revolutionary martyrs.

He described 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 some 25,000 li, breaking through the encirclement and interception of more than a million enemy troops, and achieving a strategic shift northward to resist Japanese aggression.

He identified several sources of the victory: correct Party leadership; firm revolutionary will and ideals; independence and seeking truth from facts, so that the basic tenets of Marxism are closely combined with China's concrete reality; and the support of the broad masses. He described the Long March spirit as part of the spiritual lineage of Chinese Communists and a source of strength.

Xi said the Long March continues. Since the victory 90 years ago, the Party has led the people through repeated great marches in revolution, construction and reform. Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era; the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects has been achieved on schedule; and the country is now working toward the second centenary goal of building a great modern socialist country in all respects and advancing national rejuvenation through Chinese-style modernization.

He set out "five musts" for carrying forward the Long March spirit: uphold the Party's ideals, convictions and purpose and implement Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era; steadfastly promote 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," pursue effective qualitative improvement and reasonable quantitative growth of the economy, and promote common prosperity; carry out a great struggle with many new historical features, better coordinate development and security, and overcome difficulties and risks; speed up building the people's armed forces into a world-class military and achieve the centenary goal of the PLA on schedule; and uphold Party leadership, strengthen Party building, and exercise full and rigorous Party self-governance.

Zhao Leji, who presided, said the speech reviewed the Long March, summarized its significance, explained the winning path and the historical value of the Long March spirit, and put forward the "five musts." He called for studying and implementing the speech and for unity around the Party Central Committee.

Reading the Signal as a Founder

Themes that touch the business climate

The speech restates several priorities that appear across official Chinese policy communication: high-quality development, a balance between development and security, common prosperity, and full and rigorous Party self-governance. For foreign founders, these are directional statements, not operational rules. They suggest that compliance, data and security considerations, and alignment with national development goals will remain central in how companies are expected to operate.

The emphasis on independence and adapting general principles to China's concrete conditions is also a reminder that China's regulatory framework has its own logic. Founders should expect local rules on corporate registration, foreign investment, taxation and employment that differ from their home markets.

What the event does not tell you

The source contains no business statistics, no tax changes, no registration procedures and no investment incentives. It is a political commemoration. Founders should not treat it as a guide to company formation, sector permissions, capital requirements or visa rules. For those, rely on the relevant laws, regulations and implementing rules published by the competent authorities.

Practical Steps for Foreign Founders

• Separate signal from rule. Use high-level events to understand broad priorities, but confirm every operational requirement against the specific regulation or authority notice.
• Build compliance into the plan. Given the repeated emphasis on coordinating development and security, treat data handling, cybersecurity and lawful operation as core design questions rather than afterthoughts.
• Track official channels. Policy details are published by ministries, regulators and local governments. Monitor those sources rather than relying on commentary.
• Plan for local adaptation. Registration, governance, employment and tax obligations in China follow Chinese law. Budget time and professional advice for adapting your group's standard documents and processes.
• Keep documentation in order. As with any jurisdiction, accurate filings and records support smoother operations and reduce friction with authorities.

Conclusion

The October 22 commemoration was a major state event centered on history, unity and the stated direction of national development. For foreign founders, its practical value is limited but real: it confirms the policy themes that shape how companies are expected to operate in China. Company registration and day-to-day compliance, however, depend on specific laws and procedures, not on ceremony. Founders should combine awareness of the broader direction with careful, document-based preparation for entering and operating in the Chinese market.

Foreign founders who want hands-on support can contact ChinaMNC on WhatsApp or WeChat at +86 153 1898 8535 for help 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.