TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan celebrated its national holiday Thursday against the backdrop of threats from China, which claims the self-governing island republic as its own territory.
The celebration marks the founding of the Republic of China, which overthrew the Qing dynasty in 1911 and fled to Taiwan when Mao Zedong’s communists came to power on the mainland during a 1949 civil war. Taiwan was under martial law until it transitioned to full democracy. in the 1980s and 1990s, but maintains the original constitution from China and the ROC flag.
President Lai Ching-te took office in May, continuing the eight-year rule of the Democratic Progressive Party, which rejects China’s demand to recognize Taiwan as part of China. The nationalists adhere to a unification position that recognizes both sides of the Taiwan Strait as one nation.
Thursday’s commemorations would include speeches by Lai and others, performances in front of the presidential office building in Taipei, including a guard of honor, a military marching band and military aircraft overflights, but no display of heavy military equipment as we have seen in recent years .
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army maintained its military pressure on Taiwan and sent fifteen aircraft across the median line in the Taiwan Strait, prompting Taiwan to fly fighter jets, send ships and activate missile systems.
