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The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) did the first flag-raising ceremony of 2018 on Monday at Tiananmen Square, Beijing at 7:36 a.m.
This is the first time the PLA has overseen the mission of guarding China's national flag and conducting the gun salute. The ceremony used to be carried out by the armed police but will be carried out by the PLA from now on.
The new version featured eight trumpet soldiers sounding the clarion call for flag raising to usher in the ceremony.
The Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) takes on the first flag-raising ceremony of the year at Tiananmen Square, Beijing, on January 1, 2018. /Xinhua Photo
At 7:32 a.m., bugles were sounded on the Tiananmen Rostrum. Beneath it, 96 soldiers guarding a giant five-star red flag began marching toward the square.
More than 90,000 visitors braved the cold winter morning, gathered at Tiananmen Square and waited for hours just to be part of the ceremony. Together they saw the national flag be hoisted in the heart of Beijing on the first day of 2018.
