The 12,500-kilometer Long March was a military maneuver carried out by the Red Army and led by the Communist Party of China in combat with the Kuomintang regime. The expedition laid the foundation for the Party's victory.

From 1934 to 1936, Red Army soldiers marched through raging rivers, snowy mountains and dangerous swamps to break the siege of the Kuomintang forces and continue the fight against Japanese aggressors. During the march, there were frequent shortages of food, clothing and equipment. Many touching stories have been passed down about the spirit of persistence and bravery.

President Xi Jinping hailed the march as a great feat in human history. He hailed Long March Spirit as a rich heritage. "The spirit of the Long March meant putting the fundamental interests of the Chinese people and nation above all else, meant upholding firm revolutionary ideals and beliefs, and meant the belief that a just cause would surely succeed," Xi said. "It represented a willingness to sacrifice everything to save the country and the people, no matter what difficulties and obstacles lay ahead. It meant remaining committed to independence and autonomy, to seeking truth from facts, and to proceeding from reality in all endeavors. It meant taking a broad view, maintaining strict discipline and seeking unity. And it meant relying closely on the people, sharing weal and woe with the people, and fighting bitterly alongside the people."