Ahead of Communist Party plenum, Xi Jinping warns that China faces a ‘new Long March’

A strong and united party leadership is vital to victory, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in a keynote speech marking the 90th anniversary of the Long March.

Speaking days before an important Communist Party meeting known as the fifth plenum, Xi said the party managed to turn the tide of defeat into a path to victory 90 years ago because it rallied around the leadership of Mao Zedong.

By linking the Red Army’s historic endurance with today’s geopolitical struggles, Xi said China today faced a “new Long March” and had to learn how to navigate complex geopolitical pitfalls and fight for its interests.

At a high-profile commemoration marking the 90th anniversary of the Long March’s victory in Beijing on Thursday, Xi stressed that the historic survival and ultimate triumph of the Red Army hinged on establishing a firm political core – a historical lesson he framed as “indispensable” for China’s modern trajectory.