1 / 4   On January 1, 2018, the national flag-raising duty at Tiananmen Square in Beijing was performed by the Guard of Honor of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) for the first time ever. /Xinhua Photo

2 / 4   The responsibility for guarding China’s national flag and firing salute cannons was transferred to the PLA from the day, as authorized by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. /Xinhua Photo

3 / 4   The national flag-lowering ceremony was conducted by the Chinese national flag guard unit of the armed police for the last time on December 31, 2017. The national flag raising and lowering ceremonies are respectively held at dawn and dusk on a daily basis. /VCG Photo

4 / 4   The designation of the armed police would be canceled and the unit would be transferred to the Guard of Honor of the PLA, after serving as the raisers and guards of the national flag since 1991. /VCG Photo