The Presidential Office has held its first meeting on the preparations for the presidential inauguration set to take place on May 20.
Presidential Office spokesman Charles Chen said that representatives from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), the foreign ministry, defense ministry, Overseas Community Affairs Council, education ministry and the National Police Agency took part in Thursday’s meeting.
Director of the DPP’s Department of News and Information Alex Huang outlined the meeting’s results.
“The first decision we’ve made is that the inauguration ceremony will be held in front of the Presidential Office Building. The second conclusion is that we will not have fireworks in consideration of environmental issues," said Alex Huang, "We could possibly celebrate in a different way. The third conclusion is that this year’s state banquet will be held in Taipei. [And the fourth decision], in accordance with past practice, is that the reception for overseas Taiwanese will take place on May 21.”
Huang said that the inauguration ceremony will be held in front of the Presidential Office building so that more citizens can attend. Huang said he hopes that all details of the inauguration ceremony will be finalized by the end of March.