Celebrations are to take place in front of the Presidential Office Building for president-elect Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) inauguration on May 20.
However, for environmental reasons there will not be the usual fireworks, a Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) delegation said after meeting with Presidential Office officials to discuss the inauguration ceremony.
“First of all, the inauguration celebration will be held in front of the Presidential Office Building, second, out of consideration for the environment and for simplicity, we will not have a fireworks display,” DPP News and Information Department Director Alex Huang (黃重諺) said after the DPP delegation, headed by DPP Deputy Secretary-General Liao Chin-kuei (廖錦桂), left the Presidential Office Building.
“Third, the state banquet will be held in Taipei and, following tradition, the reception for our overseas compatriots returning to Taiwan to take part is scheduled for May 21,” Huang said.
Huang said it was decided the celebration would be held in front of the Presidential Office Building so that more people could take part, adding that Tsai is to go outside to attend the celebration after taking part in the official swearing-in ceremony inside the building.
In both 2008 and 2012, President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) celebrated his inauguration at the Taipei Arena.
Huang said that instead of a fireworks display, a light show would be displayed on the Presidential Office Building.
Huang also confirmed that Tsai officially invited People First Party Chairman James Soong (宋楚瑜) to attend her inauguration.
However, a final decision as to whether to invite former presidents Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Lee Teng-hui (李登輝) has not been made, he said.
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