Taiwan’s military honor guard kicked off the national day celebrations on Thursday morning. The scene was festive, including a performance with 108 drums to symbolize the 108th anniversary of the ROC.
Students from the ROC Army Academy danced to upbeat music, some of them dressed in T-shirts adorned with the ROC flag.
Another highlight was a parade of floats showcasing the best of Taiwan. They featured Taipei 101, flight attendants from Taiwan’s flagship carrier China Airlines, and an ROC jet trainer and missile.
At one point, an explosion went off in front of the Presidential Office building. It was the Marine Corps Special Service Company showing off their skills. They acted out a scenario in which they cleared a room of criminals. With strict discipline and quick reaction times, they gained control of the room in just seconds.
Other annual favorites included the Army’s motorcycle brigade, maneuvering 360kg motorcycles in complex symmetrical formations. The military honor guard took to the plaza with twirling rifles, creating the shape of Taiwan and the symbolic “double ten” for October 10th.
The celebration reached a climax with five jets of the ROC Air Force flying over the Presidential Office building, trailing blue, white and red smoke, a nod to the colors of the ROC flag.