Honors ceremonies

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Ceremonial functions

Honors ceremonies

According to Article 42 of the Constitution, the President may, in accordance with the law, confer honors and decorations. Meanwhile, Article 1 of the Medals Act provides for the conferral of decorations on ROC citizens in recognition of their contribution to national or social development, while decorations may be bestowed on foreigners in order to promote friendly ties.

The ROC has five types of civilian orders, including the Order of Brilliant Jade with Grand Cordon, the Order of Dr. Sun Yat-sen with Grand Cordon, the Order of Chiang Chung-cheng with Grand Cordon, the Order of Propitious Clouds, and the Order of Brilliant Star.

The President confers the Order of Brilliant Jade with Grand Cordon upon a foreign leader of state.

Decorations personally conferred by the President are usually held at the President's Hall on the third floor of the Presidential Office Building.

The Order of Brilliant Jade with Grand Cordon is worn by the President, who may also award it to foreign heads of state (usually at ceremonies prior to the commencement of state banquets). Decorations personally conferred by the President are usually handed out at ceremonies held in the President's Hall, the Taiwan Heritage Room, or the Auditorium, all of which are located on the third floor of the Presidential Office Building.

Protocol officers lead the recipient of a decoration and persons attending the ceremony to their seats in the designated ceremony hall after their arrival at the Main Entrance to the Presidential Office Building. As a show of respect, everyone in the room rises once the President arrives. The President shakes hands with the recipient of the decoration and persons attending the ceremony. The President takes his/her position in front of his/her chair and the master of ceremonies begins the formal proceedings.

The content of the ceremony varies depending on whether the recipient of the decoration is an ROC citizen or a foreign national. If he or she is an ROC citizen, the master of ceremonies will read out the award certificate. If the recipient is a foreigner, the master of ceremonies will read a commendation prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The President is assisted by the Director-General of the Office of the President's Third Bureau to decorate the recipient with a medal.

Once completed, the master of ceremonies calls for the President to confer the decoration. The recipient faces the President, and the President personally decorates the individual first with a sash, followed by the medal. The Director-General of the Office of the President's Third Bureau lends assistance. For example, when the President confers decorations above the third rank, a sash is placed prior to a medal. Once the decoration is presented, a picture of the President and the recipient is taken. Everyone then returns to their original positions.

The decoration recipient delivers remarks to express gratitude.

After the decoration part of the ceremony is completed, everyone is seated and the recipient of the decoration delivers remarks to express gratitude.

The President and the decoration recipient toast each other.

The President takes commemorative photos with the decoration recipient and those attending the ceremony.

Everyone then rises and is provided with a glass of champagne. The President and the individual decorated first raise their glasses and toast each other, then the audience is guided by protocol officers in first paying their respect to the President and then raising their glasses in congratulations to the recipient.

After the toasts, the President holds discussions with the recipient of the order.

After the meetings, the President takes commemorative photos with the decorated individual and those attending the ceremony. The President then shakes hands with the recipient and the attendees, and exits the room accompanied by a military attaché.

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