Flag-raising ceremonies held across Taiwan on National Day

Taipei, Oct. 10 (CNA) Flag-raising ceremonies were held by local governments across the country on Thursday as the Republic of China (Taiwan) celebrated its 113th National Day.

In Taichung, a huge ROC flag measuring 24 meters wide and 36 m long, described by Mayor Lu Shiow-yen (盧秀燕) as the largest in the country, was held up by 72 people and displayed in City Hall square.

During the event, the national anthem was performed by the Taichung Chamber Choir.

"We have only one country, and that is the Republic of China. We have only one home, and that is Taiwan," Lu told an estimated crowd of 20,000 people.

Everyone must do more to love, cherish and be loyal to the country, and be respectful to one another, she said, while wishing the ROC a happy birthday

The celebration was also attended by former Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Johnny Chiang (江啟臣), several KMT city councilors including Lee Chung (李中) and Chen Cheng-hsien (陳政顯), as well as Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Ho Hsin-chun (何欣純).

In Kaohsiung, a ceremony marking the country's 113th anniversary themed "Moving Forward" was hosted by Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) in the square in front of Sihwei Administration Center.

The event's flag-raising ceremony was attended by several Democratic Progressive Party lawmakers including Chiu Yi-ying (邱議瑩), Lin Dai-hua (林岱樺), Lai Jui-lung (賴瑞隆) and Hsu Chih-chieh (許智傑), as well as military and local government officials.

Besides expressing his well wishes for the ROC's birthday, Chen also took the time to tout the city's resilience in the aftermath of Typhoon Krathon, which battered the southern Taiwanese port city last week.

In his opening speech, he thanked various local government agencies for working together to help clean up Kaohsiung after the typhoon which caused huge agricultural and fishery losses to the city.

Kaohsiung continues to stand strong, exhibited by the perseverance and unyielding spirit of its people, he added.

In neighboring Tainan, celebrations in front of the city's government building included rifle performances by the National Tainan Girls' Senior High School's marching band.

Souvenirs were also given out by the city government to thank people for attending the day's celebrations.

Elsewhere, a similar flag-raising ceremony was held in New Taipei organized by Wanli District Office that welcomed about 380 participants.

Meanwhile, the celebration in Taiwan's outlying Penghu County featured a slew of activities including dance performances and a marathon.