At least 50,000 people turned up at 6:30am in front of the Presidential Office yesterday to join President Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) and Vice President Annette Lu (呂秀蓮) for the New Year flag-raising ceremony.
Along with representatives of Taiwan's 10 recognized Aboriginal tribes, newly elected independent Aboriginal legislator May Chin (金素梅) led the crowd in singing an Aboriginal version of the national anthem, characterized by an up-beat rhythm and an energetic swing.
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
Chin, a former singer and a descendant of the Atayal tribe on her mother's side, is a film star best-known for her performance in The Wedding Banquet, directed by Oscar-winning Taiwanese director Ang Lee (李安).
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
The flag-raising ceremony was the second major government-sponsored national event which featured Aborigines.
Taiwanese Aboriginal singer Chang Hui-mei (張惠妹), more popularly known as A-mei, sang Taiwan's national anthem at Chen's inauguration two years ago.
PHOTO: LIAO RAY-SHANG, TAIPEI TIMES
A-mei faced a backlash from China following her performance. Beijing banned her from performing in China and canned a television commercial featuring her. China lifted the ban after a year.
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
Prior to yesterday's ceremony, the Fu Jen Catholic University's orchestra helped generate a distinctly Taiwanese atmosphere with renditions of well-known Taiwanese folk pieces such as Music of the Farming Village (農村曲) and Four Seasons Red (四季紅).
Following the singing of the national anthem, Chen steered the patriotic, flag-waving crowd to higher levels of fervor by leading it in chanting slogans such as "Long live freedom," "Exalt the Spirit of our Nation" and "Develop Formosa Taiwan."
Performances by the military band and dances by private groups also entertained the crowd as invitees offered each other New Year greetings.
Tseng Jeng-cheng (曾政承), who took the first prize at the first World Cyber Games in Seoul in December, was on hand at the invitation of the Presidential Office.
Tseng was attacked by Chinese journalists for raising the Taiwanese flag and shouting, "Taiwan is No. 1! Taiwan is No. 1!," after his victory.
"I feel touched," he said after seeing the flag hoisted yesterday.
Members of the national baseball team, who brought Taiwan glory by winning a bronze medal at the Baseball World Cup in November, were also present.
The Taipei City Government held its own flag-raising ceremony an hour ahead of the Presidential Office at 5:30am at Taipei City Hall.
"By holding the first flag-raising ceremony [in the country] on the first day of the New Year," said Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九), "we hope to signify that the Taipei City Government is ahead of all the other local governments in its readiness for everything that lies ahead in the year 2002."
Kaohsiung City mayor Frank Hsieh (謝長廷) also stated his wishes for the New Year.
"I hope that all Kaohsiung citizens will work together to develop our city, " Hsieh said at the Kaohsiung City Government's flag-raising ceremony.
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