Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese President, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, delivered a major address on Thursday morning (October 22) at a grand gathering in Beijing commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese Workers` and Peasants` Red Army in the Long March.

Xi Jinping at the 90th Long March anniversary. Source: The National Committee of the Chinese People`s Political ...
In his address, President Xi—on behalf of the CPC Central Committee, the State Council, the Central Military Commission, and the people of all ethnic groups across the country—paid deep tribute to the veteran revolutionaries including Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, and Zhu De who led the Red Army during the historic Long March. He also expressed profound remembrance of the commanders and soldiers who fought through bloody battles, as well as all people of various ethnic groups—particularly those in revolutionary base areas—who extended crucial support to the Red Army.

President Xi noted that between October 1934 and October 1936, the Red Army traversed 25,000 li (approximately 12,500 kilometers), shattering the encirclement, pursuit, and blockades launched by more than one million enemy troops. This triumph utterly foiled the reactionary Kuomintang plots to annihilate the CPC and the Red Army, achieved strategic northward relocation to resist Japanese aggression, and opened a magnificent new chapter in the Chinese revolution. He stressed that this monumental revolutionary feat carries profound significance in the history of the Party, the country, and the armed forces, exerting a far-reaching impact on the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Xi pointed out that over the past 90 years following the victory of the Long March, the CPC has led the people to monumental triumphs across historic phases of revolution, socialist construction, and reform. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered a new era. Through the concerted efforts of the entire Party, the military, and the people, the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects was achieved right on schedule.

Xi Jinping underscored that in carrying forward the great Long March spirit, it is imperative to uphold the leadership of the CPC, unswervingly advance high-quality development, continuously meet the people`s growing expectations for a better life, build the people`s armed forces into world-class troops, and accelerate the modernization of national defense and the military to high standards.

Members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee—Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang, and Li Xi—along with Vice President Han Zheng, attended the gathering.

Source: Cai, Alim, Wang Haiman | China Media Group (CMG)