Taiwanese gather on Ketagalan Blvd. for New Year's flag-raising ceremony

台灣人聚集在凱達格蘭大道舉行元旦升旗典禮

President Tsai Ing-wen joined the crowd in singing the national anthem, led by Taiwanese athletes


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) attended the New Year's flag-raising ceremony in front of the Presidential Office Building on Monday morning Jan. 1, 2018, and sang the national anthem, led by Taiwanese military officers and athletes from the national team.

As soon as President Tsai stepped out of the office, she greeted and shook hands with prominent pro-independence activist and centenarian Su Beng (史明). Su Beng is currently serving as a senior adviser to the Office of the President.

Apart from President Tsai, Vice President Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁), Secretary-General to the President Joseph Wu (吳釗燮), and Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) also participated in the flag-raising ceremony.

Following the lead of a group of military officers and prominent Universiade athletes such as Lee Chih-kai (李智凱), President Tsai joined in singing the national anthem, while watching the flag being raised to the top of the Presidential building.

Taiwan News reporters were told by some audience members that they were touched by large group singing the national anthem, numbering tens of thousands of people.

President Tsai left with the other officials at the end of the flag-raising ceremony as scheduled, without delivering an address.

Since taking office in 2016, President Tsai has removed the tradition of the New Year's address. Instead, she gave a year-end address at a news conference on December 29, during which she emphasized the country's need to increase spending on military research and development, as well as reinforce defense capability in the face of growing threats from the Chinese military.

On the New Year's Day, flocks of people began to arrive at Ketagalan Boulevard around 5 a.m. with flags of the country in their hands even though the sky was still dark. Some participants had flag tattoo stickers placed on their faces.

The New Year's flag-raising ceremony was accompanied by various activities and performances, including a charity market, high-school and military marching bands, and a roller skating dance.