President Xi Jinping (2nd R) visits a martyrs' cemetery in Zunyi, Southwest China's Guizhou province, June 16, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

Xi called the conference "a watershed even in the history of the CPC". The conference showed the path China should take, which was to adopt Marxism principles according to China's reality, and to be independent and self-reliant, he said.

In Zunyi, Xi also visited a Red Army graveyard.

On his way from Zunyi to Guiyang, the provincial capital, Xi visited a small supermarket at a highway service area and inquired about the expiration date for a package of snacks. He also inspected two street-side food stands which sold stewed duck necks and other local foods. In China, substandard foods have been a safety concern in recent years.