Security forces to adopt PLA-style salute and drill from National Day

The security forces will adopt the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s salute and Chinese-style foot drill as their standard ceremonial procedures starting Thursday, Oct. 1, with the Portuguese-style drill retained for cultural preservation.

The Executive Council (ExCo) has completed discussion of a draft administrative regulation amending the rules governing salutes and ceremonial procedures, introducing the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s salute and Chinese-style foot drill as the standard forms of salute and ceremony.

The main amendments cover salutes to the national flag, national anthem, regional flag and the chief executive, flag ceremonies, personnel salute methods and troop inspections.

They apply to personnel of the Public Security Police Force, the Fire Services Bureau, the Macau Customs Service, the Correctional Services Bureau and trainees in related training courses. The regulation takes effect on October 1.

Announcing the changes at a regular press conference on Friday, ExCo spokesperson and Secretary for Administration and Justice Wong Sio Chak said the amendments are intended to deepen patriotic education, better reflect national sovereignty and the national spirit, and align with national standards.

He added that preparations had been planned as early as 2020 but were shelved due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and that the current groundwork began in early last year rather than only recently.

“Preparation for this began early last year. I only left my post as Secretary for Security in October last year – I share this with you to make the point that this is not preparation undertaken in a short period,” he reportedly said. “As you know, drill training is not something that can be done simply in a few days; it requires full preparation. So to date, preparations have been adequate.”

The authorities stressed that most personnel have completed Chinese-style drill training and that the Chinese-style drill will be formally adopted from October 1.

Wong said the Portuguese-style drill would be retained for cultural preservation, with Chinese-style drill adopted for formal occasions.

“The two are not contradictory,” he said.