As Beijing's winter chill embraced the first morning of 2026, over 100,000 residents and visitors filled Tiananmen Square under a slate-gray sky, their breath visible in the crisp air. At precisely 7:36 AM local time, a precision-marched People's Liberation Army honor guard raised China's five-starred red flag in sync with the solar ascent – a tradition blending astronomical precision with national symbolism.
The ceremony, broadcast nationwide through state media networks, featured children from Xinjiang's Uygur community presenting floral arrangements alongside veterans of the Yangtze River conservation project. Security personnel maintained discreet vigilance as spontaneous choruses of "My Motherland" erupted from student groups.
This year's event carried particular significance following recent cross-strait dialogues between mainland officials and representatives from the Taiwan region. While no political leaders from Taiwan attended, cultural delegates from Taipei's performing arts community joined mainland counterparts in a post-ceremony folk music collaboration.
