Xi Jinping Calls for New Long March at 90th Anniversary

President Xi Jinping addressed approximately 3,000 people at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 22 to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Chinese Red Army's Long March victory. Xi linked the historical military maneuver, which spanned more than 10 provinces from 1934 to 1936, to China's current pursuit of the Second Centenary Goal. He characterized the drive to build China into a great modern socialist country and advance national rejuvenation through a Chinese path to modernization as a "new Long March."

Xi attributed the original victory to the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the core position of Mao Zedong. He emphasized the need to integrate Marxism with China's specific realities to overcome contemporary risks and challenges. His directives included a focus on high-quality economic development, common prosperity, and the acceleration of world-class armed forces under absolute Party leadership.

During the event, participants observed a moment of silence for revolutionary heroes. Zhao Leji, who presided over the gathering, called for the party and military to rally around the Party Central Committee with Xi at its core to implement the directives outlined in the speech.