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Have you ever noticed that the national flag on top of the Presidential Office’s 11-story tower always seems to be flying perfectly, no matter how harsh the wind or rain? The Military Police’s 211th Battalion is responsible for this invisible task. They swap the battered flag out every month, threading wires through the fabric by hand to secure it. It seems easy, but it requires a team of four or five people working together to pull it off.
The Presidential Office Building stands proud along Chongqing South Road, the national flag fluttering elegantly under blue skies.
Lin Yen-chun
FTV reporter
Looking up behind me, you can see the national flag flying 11 stories high on top of the Presidential Office tower. It looks to be fluttering easily in the breeze. But what’s the secret to keeping it that way?
Inside the tower—an area off-limits to the public—officers with the Military Police’s 211th Battalion assemble once a month to change the flag. To keep it from ripping or tangling in high winds, they forego the standard ropes in favor of more sturdy wires along the edges.
Wang Kun-huang
Battalion sergeant
After some testing, we found that if the wire is too thick, the holes it leaves in the fabric are too large. When the winds are strong, it actually wears out the flag faster. If they’re too light, they rust easily in the wind and rain, causing them to break.
To seamlessly fuse together the flag and wire, they must use pliers to twist them tightly. They must also be flush with the fabric so that when a flag bearer runs a gloved hand over the joint, it won’t catch on the fabric. It may seem simple, but it takes four to five officers all working in tandem.
Huang Wei-ting
Battalion flag bearer
The hardest part is threading the wire through the halyard, because the rope is incredibly stiff. There’s no need for us to rush. Our only priority is making sure that every wire is affixed well.
It’s not just the officers’ skill that ensures the flag flies perfectly. The four corners are also extra thick and reinforced with double stitching to prevent tearing. For this elite group of officers, even a single tear is unacceptable. They take pride in ensuring that the nation’s greatest symbol of honor flies high and proud.
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