Daily BriefAnalysis

Beijing Opens Exhibition Marking 90th Anniversary of Red Army Long March

Senior official Cai Qi inaugurates a major military museum showcase featuring over 1,400 artifacts and photos to commemorate the Long March milestone.

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A minimalist indoor art installation featuring a vibrant autumn tree set in a gallery in Shanghai.
Photo by Bingqian Li on Pexels

The Brief

A major themed exhibition marking the 90th anniversary of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army's Long March opened on September 22 at the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution in Beijing. Cai Qi, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee and the Secretariat of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee, addressed the ceremony and officially inaugurated the event. The exhibition is organized into seven sections and showcases 357 photographs and charts alongside 1,061 cultural relics and historical documents, according to state media.

Why it matters

The 90th anniversary of the Long March victory represents a central milestone in Chinese political and revolutionary history. High-level participation by a Politburo Standing Committee member underscores the leadership's drive to leverage revolutionary heritage for political unity, ideological education, and collective resilience during a period of complex economic and geopolitical friction.

China context

In Chinese official discourse, the "Long March spirit" is routinely invoked to mobilize cadres and the public to confront daunting internal and external obstacles. By tying historical struggle to contemporary governance goals, the party seeks to reinforce ideological legitimacy, party authority, and commitment to the modernization agenda.

Editor's View

EDITOR'S VIEW — Analysis and inference, not factual reporting. The high-profile opening led by Cai Qi highlights how historical milestone anniversaries continue to function as instruments of political consolidation rather than mere retrospective tributes. By framing past revolutionary adversity as a precedent for overcoming contemporary challenges, Beijing utilizes major museum exhibits to reinforce ideological discipline and national resolve across both civil society and the armed forces.

What to watch

  • Whether the central leadership convenes a national-level commemorative assembly or a Politburo collective study session dedicated to the 90th anniversary.
  • Follow-up visits and appearances by senior Central Military Commission leaders and other Politburo figures.
  • Public attendance levels, reservation uptake, and nationwide ideological campaigns linked to the exhibition.

Key Takeaways

  • 1Cai Qi inaugurated the Long March 90th-anniversary exhibition at the Military Museum in Beijing on September 22.
  • 2The exhibition displays 357 photos and diagrams alongside 1,061 sets of historical artifacts across seven sections.
  • 3Official remarks framed the Long March as a pivotal historic turning point that reversed revolutionary setbacks.
On the morning of September 22, the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution in Beijing hosted the opening ceremony of an exhibition commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army's Long March. Cai Qi, a member of the Politburo Standing Committee and Secretary of the Secretariat of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Central Committee, delivered an address and declared the exhibition officially open, state media reported. The ceremony began at 10 a.m. with the People's Liberation Army military band playing the national anthem, followed by a moment of silent tribute to fallen revolutionary soldiers. In his speech, Cai noted that nine decades ago, the Red Army under the leadership of the CCP surmounted immense hardships and made significant sacrifices to complete the march. He described the Long March victory as a pivotal turning point that converted severe setbacks into revolutionary progress and opened a new phase in the struggle for national independence and people's liberation. According to Xinhua, the exhibition is structured into seven distinct thematic sections. The display brings together 357 photographs and statistical charts, along with 1,061 sets of historical documents and cultural artifacts chronicling the military campaign, its strategic turning points, and political developments. Ahead of the official opening, a media preview was conducted on September 21 to showcase the installation. The timing and staging of the exhibition reflect Beijing's ongoing emphasis on revolutionary education. In official state narratives, historical episodes such as the Long March are consistently framed as vital benchmarks to remind officials and citizens of early sacrifices, thereby reinforcing party loyalty, internal solidarity, and resilience in the face of ongoing modern development goals.