The Presidential Office yesterday announced its plans for the New Year’s Day flag-raising ceremony, to be themed “Made in Taiwan, Made for the Future,” with industry professionals leading the singing of the national anthem.
The ceremony is also to feature limited-edition “2025 Presidential Office”-branded Kuai Kuai snacks, while President William Lai (賴清德) and Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim (蕭美琴) are to hand out Lunar New Year spring couplets and red envelopes at 9am, Presidential Office Secretary-General Pan Men-an (潘孟安) said at a news conference hosted by Presidential Office spokesman Lii Wen (李問) and attended by Pan, Presidential Office Deputy Secretary-General Mark Ho (何志偉) and Manufacturers United General Association of Industrial Parks of ROC chairman Lai Po-szu (賴博司).
The ceremony is to start with a performance by the Zhuangjing Vocational High School marching band, followed by classic songs performed by the bands Jubah Hitam — formed by Indonesian migrant workers — and Mr Recycle, whose members are engineers from the Hsinchu Science Park, Lai Po-szu said.
Photo: Lin Cheng-kun, Taipei Times
The highlight of the event is to be a joint performance by manufacturing industry leaders and professional theater performers, with the four themes “under the sea,” “world-class machinery,” “artistic heritage” and “innovative manufacturing,” he said.
This year’s celebrations are to begin at 4:30am, with attendees to receive breakfast and souvenirs, he added.
Performances and activities are to be held from 9am until 5pm, including an animated film exhibition in the office’s main reception hall, and further exhibitions in the north and south courtyards that would include cultural and creative markets, a farmers’ market and democracy-themed stalls, Pan said.
This year’s theme would be celebrating Taiwan’s past manufacturing success and eyeing a future driven by artificial intelligence, science and technology, with the new year hopefully bringing economic developments and industry breakthroughs, Lii said.
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