The victory of the Long March was a magnificent undertaking in the Chinese revolution process and of great significance to the final victory of the revolution, former Chinese president Jiang Zemin said on Saturday.

 

Jiang made the remarks while visiting an exhibition marking the 70th anniversary of the Long March at the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution.

 

Other former Chinese leaders including Li Peng, Zhu Rongji, Li Ruihuan, Liu Huaqing, Wei Jianxing and Li Lanqing also visited the exhibition.

 

The exhibition shows more than 580 pictures, 440 pieces of cultural relics, 180 publications, 25 art works, 52 graphs and three large-scale scenes, revealing the spirit of the Red Army in the Long March.

 

"We should never forget the meritorious service of the revolutionaries of the older generation and vigorously carry on the spirit of the Long March," Jiang said.

 

"We must unite as one and make unremitted efforts in building a moderately prosperous society and striving for new prospects of socialism with Chinese characteristics," he said.

 

The Long March was a famous military maneuver carried out by the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army from 1934 to 1936 led by the Communist Party of China (CPC) to combat the Kuomintang Regime.

 

Though many soldiers died on the way, the Red Army finally arrived at Yan'an in western Shaanxi Province after the 25,000-li (12,500-kilometer) trek, where the new headquarters of CPC was later established.

 

(Xinhua News Agency October 22, 2006)