Colonel turns out the guard

Welcome for foreign leaders involves 48 gestures to ensure split-second precision

When leaders of other nations visit China and are received amid the splendor of the Great Hall of the People, military honor guards are ready to be reviewed. They await the orders of one man whose duty it is to ensure the ceremony is conducted with split-second precision - no missteps, no actions that are not fully coordinated, and no mistakes.

Acting head of the honor guard Lieutenant Colonel Li Qiang barks orders to the soldiers, and a welcome to the visiting leader, in a tone that pierces the silence. He then accompanies the leaders on their review of the guards as the military band plays, cameras click and whir, and his polished leather boots crack sharply on the floor with each step.