Taiwan holds National Day celebrations

Honour guards take part in Taiwan’s National Day celebrations. Pic/AFP

Taiwan celebrated its National Day holiday on Thursday against the background of threats from China, which claims the self-governing island republic as its own territory.

The celebration marks the establishment of the Republic of China, which overthrew the Qing Dynasty in 1911 and fled to Taiwan as Mao Zedong's Communists swept to power on the mainland during a civil war in 1949.

Taiwan was run under martial law until transitioning to full democracy in the 1980s and 1990s but maintains the original constitution brought from China and the ROC flag. The commemorations included military displays, but no heavy military equipment as seen in the past.

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