新的一年，新的升旗仪式

Dozens of members from the People’s Liberation Army Guards of Honor raised the national flag at Tian’anmen Square in central Beijing on Monday morning.

周一上午，有几十名中国人民解放军组成的仪仗队在北京天安门广场升起了国旗。

This move has meant that the PLA has replaced the Armed Police Force to guard the national flag and fire salute cannons, as ordered by the Communist Party of China Central Committee on Saturday.

这一举措意味着，继周六中共中央委员会命令后，中国人民解放军已取代武警部队肩负起保卫国旗和礼炮鸣放的光荣使命。

Previously, national flags were raised, lowered and guarded by Armed Police officers at key sites such as government complexes, public squares and memorials. The Armed Police was also responsible for firing cannons at important occasions such as welcome ceremonies for State guests.

此前，政府大楼、公共广场和纪念馆等重要场所的国旗均是由武警升起、降落并布置警戒。武警还负责在重要场合鸣放礼炮，比如为国家客人举行的欢迎仪式。

Around 7:31 am, a group of 96 honor guards, headed by a flag holder and two escort guards, marched out from the central gate of the Tian’anmen Rostrum and walked past two columns of their peers standing across the Chang’an Avenue. They then reached the restricted zone around the flag post and stood in formation. At 7:36 am, an honor guard raised the national flag, which was accompanied by the national anthem played by a PLA band.

上午7点31分左右，由96名成员组成的仪仗队，其中一名旗手和两名护旗手，从天安门城楼的中央大门走出，并以两侧列队走过长安街到达升旗区，然后站成队形。7点36分，仪仗队伴随着由解放军乐队演奏的国歌升起国旗。

Before the end of 1977, a national flag would be raised at Tian’anmen Square only on important dates including the New Year’s Day, Chinese New Year’s Day, Labor Day and National Day, and the task had been undertaken by a worker from the former Beijing Electricity Bureau from 1951 to 1977, according to PLA Daily.

据解放军日报报道，在1951年至1977年底，天安门广场只有在重要的日期才会升国旗，包括元旦、新年、劳动节、国庆节，此前该工作一直由前北京电业局的工人承担。

From the end of 1977, soldiers from the PLA Beijing Garrison started to raise and lower the national flag at the square on a daily basis until December 1982, when the mission was transferred to the newly established Armed Police.

从1977年年底开始，解放军驻防部队开始每天在广场上升起和降下国旗。到1982年12月，升旗任务移交给新成立的武警部队。

In addition to the ceremonial changes, Monday also marked a significant step in an ongoing reform of the Armed Police – the paramilitary force was placed under the unified control of the CPC Central Committee and Central Military Commission.

除了形式上的改变，周一还标志着武装警察改革的一个重要步骤—军队被置于中共中央和中央军事委员会的统一管控之下。

Under the new command chain, Armed Police units take orders directly from the force’s headquarters, which, likewise, will follow directives from the Central Military Commission. The Armed Police has been included in the Central Military Commission system and no longer takes orders from the State Council.

在新的指挥链下，武装警察部队直接从部队总部接受命令，同样，也将听从中央军事委员会的指示。武装警察已被纳入中央军事委员会系统，不再接受国务院的命令。