The Theoretical Logic and Contemporary Value of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s Important Discourses on the Long March Spirit

The Long March spirit, as a precious spiritual treasure forged in the revolutionary practice of the Communist Party of China, has been inherited and carried forward in the New Era and endowed with new contemporary connotations. As socialism with Chinese characteristics enters a new stage of development, the Party faces multiple risks and challenges in advancing the process of national rejuvenation. General Secretary Xi Jinping has produced a series of important discourses on the Long March

I. The Theoretical Logic of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s Important Discourses on the Long March Spirit [P

General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourse on the Long March spirit systematically elaborates the historical logic and spiritual generative roots of the Long March’s victory from core dimensions such as ideals and convictions, seeking truth from facts and innovation, the mass standpoint, organizational discipline, and the character of dedication, thereby constructing a clear theoretical framework for understanding and promoting the Long March spirit in the New Era.

(I) The Dimension of Conviction: “The Long March was a great expedition of ideals and convictions”

Ideals and convictions are the spiritual pillar of Chinese Communists. General Secretary Xi Jinping compares them to “calcium” in the spirit of Communists, emphasizing that firm ideals and convictions make one “strong-boned,” while their absence leads to spiritual “calcium deficiency.” On how to strengthen the ideals and convictions of Party members, General Secretary Xi Jinping points out that spiritual strength should be drawn from the Party’s great history, one important avenue being to revisit the history of the Long March, comprehend the Long March spirit, and continuously inherit and promote the great Long March spirit in the context of the New Era.

The victory of the Long March fully demonstrated the great spiritual power of revolutionary ideals. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out that “the Long March was a great expedition of ideals and convictions.” The fundamental reason why the Party and the Red Army “repeatedly rose up after setbacks and pressed forward one after another despite knowing the perils of the journey” lies in “the lofty ideals and revolutionary convictions in their hearts.” The Red Army soldiers who participated in the Long March always held fast to the revolutionary ideals and convictions of “for the Soviets, for a New China” and “for the realization of communism.” In the face of hunger, cold, disease, and death, they remained steadfast in the confidence that “as long as we follow the Party, there will be a future, there will be victory.” General Secretary Xi Jinping quotes the ancient saying, “Wind and rain soaked our clothes, yet our bones grew harder; wild herbs filled our stomachs, yet our will grew firmer; officers and soldiers shared hardships together; revolutionary ideals tower above the heavens” to profoundly interpret how ideals and convictions sustained the Red Army soldiers in making life-and-death decisions. In May 2019, during an inspection of the Memorial Hall of the Departure of the Central Red Army on the Long March in Yudu, Jiangxi, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that the Red Army soldiers “relied on firm revolutionary ideals and convictions” and profoundly elaborated on its core connotation. Although “under the circumstances at the time, the Red Army might have succeeded or might not have succeeded,” “as long as ideals and convictions remain, the Party’s cause will surely succeed. This is a historical inevitability,” clarifying that ideals and convictions are not only a spiritual pursuit but also a manifestation of the laws of history.

(II) The Dimension of Practice: “The Long March was a process of linking theory with practice, innovating theory, and exploring the revolutionary path”

General Secretary Xi Jinping’s elaboration of the Long March spirit prominently emphasizes its practical essence. He has repeatedly stressed that “the effectiveness of theory depends on the depth of its application in practice” and that “studying and implementing the Party’s innovative theories should be made the top priority in ideological and theoretical武装 [n1].” General Secretary Xi Jinping focuses on the two major practical logics of “integration” and “independence,” making it clear that the victory of the Long March was achieved by basing itself on the actual conditions of the Chinese revolution, transforming the basic principles of Marxism-Leninism into an ideological weapon for solving its own problems, and thereby pushing the revolutionary cause toward continuous success amidst severe struggles and repeated setbacks. This assertion is a highly condensed summary of the historical experience of the Long March: the root cause of the failure of the Fifth Counter-Encirclement Campaign [n2] and the Xiangjiang River Campaign [n3] lay in dogmatism severing theory from practice, mechanically copying external experience while ignoring China’s realities; the reason the Zunyi Conference [n4] became a turning point was that the Party began to break free from mechanical dependence on the instructions of the Comintern and turned toward independent exploration based on national conditions and seeking truth from facts. General Secretary Xi Jinping distinctly endows the Long March with the great practical character of theoretical innovation and path exploration. He points out that the Long March “was not only a process of defeating the enemy, winning victory, and achieving strategic goals, but also a process of linking theory with practice, innovating theory, and exploring the revolutionary path,” elevating the Long March from a mere military operation to a great creation that continuously adjusted strategic policies in practice and explored a revolutionary path suited to China’s national conditions.

(III) The Dimension of the People: “For the Red Army to win battles, the people are the mountain to rely on”

The people’s standpoint is the basic starting point of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourse on the Long March spirit. He points out that the people are the creators of history and the fundamental force determining the future and destiny of the Party and the state. The victory of the Long March was, in essence, a victory of the people’s strength. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out that “for the Red Army to win battles, the people are the mountain to rely on” and emphasizes that “sharing weal and woe, being linked by blood, and sharing life and death with the people is the fundamental guarantee for the Chinese Communist Party and the Red Army to achieve victory in the Long March.” During the Long March, the Party and the Red Army strictly observed discipline, respected the interests of the masses, and shaped an image distinct from the old armies, winning the trust and support of the people. In the areas traversed by the Long March, especially in ethnic minority regions, the Party and the Red Army respected the customs of ethnic minorities, such as Liu Bocheng’s alliance with the Yi leader Xiao Yedan, which ensured the Red Army’s smooth passage through Yi areas. In June 2021, during an inspection in Guoluo Tibetan Gongma Village, Qinghai, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that the fundamental reason the Chinese Communist Party could win the heartfelt support of the masses was its consistent adherence to serving the people wholeheartedly and seeking happiness for all ethnic groups. Recalling the history of the Long March, he took the example of the Red Army passing through ethnic minority areas, emphasizing that the Party and the army always respected and relied on the ethnic masses during the arduous march, forging deep fraternal bonds with people of all ethnicities, leaving behind widely recounted historical memories. On this basis, General Secretary Xi Jinping summarized the Long March as “a great expedition to awaken the masses,” pointing out that in the historical choice between justice and evil, light and darkness, the Party always took root among the people and relied on the people, and thus the people became the source of strength for the victory of the Long March.

(IV) The Dimension of Discipline: The Long March spirit is “a spirit of taking the overall situation into account, strictly observing discipline, and maintaining close unity”

The Chinese Communist Party is a Marxist political party organized with revolutionary ideals and iron discipline. Strict organization and discipline are the Party’s fine traditions and political advantages, and also important reasons for its continuous growth and development. Discipline is not an external constraint but the internal foundation for the Party to form unified will and unified action. During the Long March, the struggle over military command authority and organizational leadership concerned the unity and solidarity of the Party and the Red Army. Around the time of the Zunyi Conference, the correction of erroneous military lines, and the struggle against Zhang Guotao’s splittism, the Party Central Committee adhered to centralized and unified leadership, and the vast majority of Red Army commanders and fighters obeyed the Central Committee’s decisions, preventing organizational division, confirming that strictly observing the Party’s organizational principles and political discipline was an important prerequisite for the Red Army to maintain unity and accomplish its set tasks under complex circumstances. Mao Zedong pointed out: “Unity within the Chinese Communist Party is the most basic condition for uniting the entire people to win the War of Resistance against Japan and build a new China.” General Secretary Xi Jinping clearly points out that the great Long March spirit is “a spirit of taking the overall situation into account, strictly observing discipline, and maintaining close unity.” The practice of the Long March fully proves that ideological and political unity formed around truth is a key prerequisite for the victory of the Chinese revolution. On the basis of summarizing the historical experience of the Long March, this assertion explicitly elevates the issue of discipline to the level of ideological and political unity, revealing the internal logic by which strict discipline continuously transforms from historical experience into institutional self-consciousness in the revolutionary practice of the Chinese Communist Party.

(V) The Dimension of Dedication: “Forging the great Long March spirit with life and blood”

The Long March was a strategic shift carried out under extremely harsh war environments and natural conditions. Its “duration, scale, distance, perilous environment, and ferocity of battle are unparalleled in Chinese history and extremely rare in world war history and even in the history of human civilization.”

Through a wealth of historical facts, General Secretary Xi Jinping has demonstrated the sacrifice

This sublimation is first of all embodied in a holistic understanding of the process of China’s revolution and construction. Mao Zedong pointed out that “to win nationwide victory is only the first step in a long march of ten thousand li.” [n5] On this basis, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that after the founding of New China, “through arduous exploration and tortuous practice, we opened up the New Era of reform and opening up and set foot on the new Long March of building socialism with Chinese characteristics.” [n6] Thus, the Long March spirit is incorporated into the process of reform, construction and modernization, becoming an important spiritual driving force supporting national rejuvenation.

The shift from “revolutionary spirit” to “rejuvenation spirit” does not mean a replacement of the core connotation, but rather a transformation of the mode of expression and emphasis of the same core under different circumstances. When General Secretary Xi Jinping recounted the story of the quartermaster who froze to death while crossing the snow mountains during the Long March, he pointed out: “Consciousness may seem intangible, but at critical moments it reveals one’s true nature.” [n7] It was precisely by relying on generation after generation of Communists with a high degree of political consciousness and a willingness to sacrifice that the Party was able to continuously achieve victory under extremely difficult conditions. In the revolutionary era, this consciousness was mainly manifested as the willingness to sacrifice and take responsibility at critical moments of life and death; on the journey of rejuvenation, it is more focused on firm stance and self-discipline in reform offensives, risk challenges and grassroots governance, transforming selfless dedication into sustainable institutional execution and governance resilience. The key lies in the fact that this advantage in conviction is directly transformed into confidence in the goal: “We should have this firm conviction of achieving the Second Centenary Goal and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. No matter how great the difficulties, think of the Red Army’s Long March, think of the bloody battle at the Xiang River.” [n8]

This sublimation must ultimately be implemented on the value yardstick of the people. At the work conference on the education campaign “staying true to our original aspiration and founding mission,” General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “No matter how far we have traveled, we must not forget the road we have come from.” [n9] He has visited revolutionary memorial sites many times. On May 20, 2019, during an inspection at the departure site of the Central Red Army’s Long March in Yudu, Jiangxi, he pointed out: “Recall the arduous years of the Party Central Committee and the Central Red Army fighting bloody battles in the Soviet areas, remember where the red political power came from, how New China was established, do not forget history, do not forget the original aspiration.” On April 25, 2021, during an inspection at Maozhushan Village, Quanzhou, Guilin, Guangxi, General Secretary Xi Jinping said: “What I am busy with is these things; the ‘great affairs of the state’ are the people’s happy lives,” [n10] and pointed out that the Communist Party of China led the people to break through at critical moments of life and death such as the bloody battle at the Xiang River, thereby completing the New Democratic Revolution, establishing New China, and achieving the goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects in the New Era. On this basis, the Party takes the centenary of the Party’s founding as a new historical coordinate, embarking on a new Long March towards a great modern socialist country and national rejuvenation. General Secretary Xi Jinping connects the red original aspiration with the mission of the New Era, outlining the historical progressive logic from the “bloody battle at the Xiang River” to “rejuvenation and a strong country,” concretizing the core essence of “struggling for the people” in the revolutionary spirit into a rejuvenation spirit that enhances people’s well-being and advances Chinese-path modernization in the New Era.

III. The Practical Path of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s Important Discourse on the Long March Spirit

General Secretary Xi Jinping interprets the Long March spirit from a perspective that connects history and reality, transforming it into a practical guideline and action guide for advancing Party building, national governance, and strengthening the military and rejuvenating the armed forces in the New Era. By strengthening Party leadership, adhering to a people-centered approach, firming up ideals and convictions, and serving the modernization of national defense and the armed forces, it provides a clear basis for action in carrying forward the Long March spirit and taking the Long March road in the New Era.

(I) Uphold Party Leadership and Take the Long March Road in the New Era

Mao Zedong pointed out, “Who made the Long March victorious? The Communist Party. Without the Communist Party, such a Long March would be inconceivable.” The victory of the Long March was fundamentally due to the leadership of the Communist Party of China. General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out that the Zunyi Conference [n11] established Comrade Mao Zedong’s leadership position in the Party Central Committee and the Red Army at a critical juncture, began to establish the leadership position of the correct Marxist line mainly represented by Comrade Mao Zedong in the Party Central Committee, and began to form the first generation of central leadership collective with Comrade Mao Zedong at its core, providing political guarantees for the victory of the Long March and enabling the Party and the Red Army to achieve a historic turning point from passive suffering to active action. The establishment of this leadership core enabled the entire Party and army to be highly unified in thought, politics and action, ensured the implementation of central decisions and orders, and became the fundamental guarantee for the Long March to turn danger into safety and move towards victory. Through the arduous practice of the Long March, the Communist Party of China withstood severe tests and gradually matured. Tempered by the Long March, the Party became more mature politically and more conscious ideologically, gradually growing into the strong leadership core of the Chinese revolution, and on this basis led the Chinese people to complete the historical tasks of the War of Resistance Against Japan and the New Democratic Revolution.

The reinterpretation of the Long March spirit in the New Era proceeds precisely from this historical logic, sublimating it into an important ideological resource for upholding and strengthening the Party’s overall leadership in the New Era. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that the great Long March spirit has been deeply integrated into the blood and soul of the Chinese nation, becoming a powerful spiritual driving force that inspires the Chinese people to continuously overcome difficulties and march from victory to victory. This spiritual force, in the contemporary era, is concentratedly manifested as a high degree of identification with and conscious maintenance of Party leadership. The “new Long March” of the New Era faces deep-seated contradictions and complex challenges in reform, development and stability, and even more urgently requires a strong and capable leadership core. Upholding the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core is an inevitable requirement for

At the same time, to successfully traverse the Long March of the New Era, it is necessary to implement the comprehensive leadership of the Party in the practice of comprehensive and strict governance of the Party. Facing long-standing tests and risks, the entire Party must strengthen political construction, strictly enforce organizational discipline, and continuously enhance the Party’s cohesion and executive ability. History and practice have fully proven that handling China’s affairs well depends on the Party. Upholding the Party’s leadership is precisely the most fundamental and core practical requirement and action guideline of Xi Jinping’s important discourse on the Long March spirit in the New Era.

(2) Firmly Adopt the People’s Standpoint and Improve the People’s Well-being

Since its founding, the Communist Party of China has established wholeheartedly serving the people as its fundamental purpose. As a Marxist political party, the Party has always adhered to building the Party for the public and exercising power for the people, regarding the people as the source of strength and the subject of practice. During the Long March period, the Party and the Red Army strictly observed discipline regarding the masses, extensively mobilized and organized the masses, established close ties with people of all ethnic groups, and laid a solid foundation for the victory of the Long March.

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “The common people are heaven; the common people are earth. If we forget the people and become separated from them, we will become water without a source, a tree without roots, and will accomplish nothing.” This important judgment stems from a profound summary of the historical experience of the Long March. The story of “half a quilt” [5]5 “Half a quilt” (半条被子) refers to a story from the Long March in which three Red Army female soldiers, before departing from a poor village in Hunan, cut their only quilt in half and gave one half to an elderly woman who had sheltered that he has recounted many times “manifests the fundamental purpose of the Party and the Red Army in wholeheartedly serving the people.” To promote the Long March spirit in the New Era is to transform the people’s standpoint into the practical requirements for advancing the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, to integrate the interests of the people into development decisions and governance practices, and to implement the effectiveness of work in improving people’s livelihoods and public services. At the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “The country is the people, and the people are the country. To fight for and defend the country is to win and protect the people’s hearts.” [6]6 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Celebration of the 95th Anniversary of the Founding of the Chinese Communist Party” (1 July 2016). This important exposition profoundly reveals the mass foundation of the Party’s long-term governance and also provides a fundamental guideline for promoting the Long March spirit in the New Era. Only by always firmly adopting the people’s standpoint and closely relying on the people can the Long March of the New Era proceed steadily and far.

(3) Strengthen Ideals and Convictions, Enhance the “Four Confidences” [7]7 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Ceremony Marking the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the Long March of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army” (21 October 2016).

The victory of the Long March demonstrated the powerful political advantage of the Chinese Communist Party in uniting immense strength and guiding the correct direction through lofty ideals and convictions. During the Long March, the key reason why the Party and the Red Army were able to turn danger into safety time and again amid severe trials of life and death lay precisely in their steadfast adherence to Marxism and the lofty ideal of communism, closely integrating individual destiny with the future of the nation. It was under the support of such ideals and convictions that the Chinese Communist Party could courageously engage in self-revolution and continuously correct errors in the face of setbacks, always maintaining the correct direction of advance amid twists and turns, and demonstrating strong political resolve and practical capability. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out, “Understanding truth, mastering truth, believing in truth, and defending truth are the spiritual prerequisites for firm ideals and convictions.” [6]6 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Celebration of the 95th Anniversary of the Founding of the Chinese Communist Party” (1 July 2016). This clarifies that the ideals and convictions of Chinese Communists are based on the scientific theory of Marxism, embody a rational cognition of the laws of social development, and ultimately find their value orientation in seeking benefits for the vast majority of the people. Such ideals and convictions are not abstract slogans; they have been continuously verified and consolidated under the Party’s leadership through long-term revolutionary, construction, and reform practices.

Entering the New Era, the world situation, national conditions, and Party conditions have undergone profound and complex changes. Some Party cadres have wavered in their ideals and convictions, suffering from a spiritual “calcium deficiency,” which in turn breeds unhealthy tendencies such as individualism and hedonism. In response, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes that to successfully walk the Long March of the New Era, one must always adhere to ideals and convictions and fortify the spiritual foundation, “consciously becoming steadfast believers in and loyal practitioners of the lofty ideal of communism and the common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics.” [7]7 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Ceremony Marking the 80th Anniversary of the Victory of the Long March of the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army” (21 October 2016). Firming up ideals and convictions must be taken as the primary task of the Party’s ideological development, continuously strengthening the Four Confidences, so that the great Long March spirit is transformed into a powerful driving force for advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation in the New Era.

(4) Taking the goal of building a strong military as the guide to safeguard national security and world peace

A strong country requires a strong military; only a strong military can ensure national security. When attending the plenary meeting of the People’s Liberation Army delegation at the First Session of the 12th National People’s Congress in 2013, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, “Building a people’s military that follows the Party’s command, can fight and win, and has excellent conduct is the Party’s goal for building a strong military under the new circumstances.” [8]8 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Plenary Meeting of the People’s Liberation Army Delegation to the First Session of the 12th National People’s Congress” (11 March 2013). This goal, from the three dimensions of political direction, fundamental function, and conduct and character, sets forth clear requirements for the building of the people’s military in the New Era, centrally embodying the Party’s profound grasp of the laws governing military building. Looking back at the Long March, the Party and the Red Army, in an extremely harsh war environment, facing the enemy’s pursuit and interception and the difficult situation of being far from base areas with supply shortages, always maintained unified command and strict discipline, ensuring that all military operations revolved around the established strategic objectives. Under the new historical conditions, the missions and tasks undertaken by China’s military continue to expand, but its duty to prepare for military struggle and safeguard national security has never changed. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes, “To achieve the goal of building a strong military, we must firmly grasp the key of ‘being able to fight and win battles,’ focusing all our minds on combat and directing all our work toward combat. This is both a historical inheritance of the Long March’s victorious combat experience and an inevitable requirement for responding to the situation of military struggle in the New Era.” [9]9 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Plenary Meeting of the People’s Liberation Army Delegation to the First Session of the 12th National People’s Congress” (11 March 2013).

At the same time, the Long March spirit also centrally embodies the distinct political stance of the people’s military. During the Long March, the Red Army always adhered to the Party’s absolute leadership over the military. This fundamental principle and fine tradition still hold great practical significance in the New Era. At the symposium commemorating the 100th anniversary of Comrade Liu Huaqing’s birth, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out the need to learn from Liu Huaqing’s strong Party spirit of “wholeheartedly following the Party and remaining loyal forever.” [10]10 Xi Jinping, “Speech at the Symposium Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of Comrade Liu Huaqing’s Birth” (14 January 2016). Liu Huaqing (1916–2011) was a senior Chinese Communist military leader who served as Chairman of the Central Military Commission. During an inspection of troops in 2016, General Secretary Xi Jinping, using the story of the “half belt” [11]11 The “half belt” story refers to an incident during the Long March in which Red Army soldiers, starving, cut a leather belt in half to share as food, using it as a symbol of their unwavering faith and endurance. as an example, emphasized that “the core and most crucial aspect of firming up faith and conviction is to forge the military soul of the Party’s absolute leadership over the military, and unswervingly uphold the fundamental principle and system of the Party commanding the gun.” [12]12 Xi Jinping, “Speech during an Inspection of the 13th Group Army of the People’s Liberation Army” (20 July 2016). In the New Era, promoting the Long March spirit means transforming this political advantage into a powerful force for strengthening the military and rejuvenating the armed forces, so that the people’s military forever remains a strong guarantee for safeguarding national security and promoting world peace.