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Taiwan hosted a National Day gala at its Washington DC estate, Twin Oaks, on Wednesday. Taiwan's National Day is coming up on October 10.

Taiwan's representative to the United States Hsiao Bi-khim says Taiwan saw the support of many friends at the event. Over 1,000 guests attended including AIT Chairman James Moriarty as well as ambassadors from Guatemala, Paraguay, Honduras, the Holy See and many others. Former US National Security Adviser John Bolton attended and US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi sent a letter of congratulations.

At the gala, Representative Hsiao highlighted the support she has witnessed from the international community. She said US President Joe Biden expressed support for peace in the Taiwan Strait on many occasions including in September for the first time at a UN General Assembly.  She said Taiwan has all seen visits from many members of Congress including US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as well as parliamentarians from many countries. 

This year, Taiwan invited guests to enjoy a traditional night market. Participants enjoyed Taiwanese street food delicacies such as popcorn chicken, pork belly buns (gua bao), braised pork rice (lu rou fan), and boba tea served up in light bulbs.

Taiwan's national day is coming up on October 10. On that day there will be a massive ceremony to mark the occasion. Included in the celebrations each year is a display from the military's joint honor guard. Earlier this week, they were spotted rehearsing this year's routine at Taiwan's military police headquarters.

Members of Taiwan's army, navy, and air force move in unison showing discipline and cohesion. This is Taiwan's joint military honor guard and they'll be putting on a much anticipated performance at Taiwan's national day celebration on October 10. 

Earlier this week, the honor guard put on a dress rehearsal at Taiwan's military police headquarters. A portion of this year's performance will be done without music. The idea is to emphasize the sounds of marching and gun handling during the routine.

And, for the first time ever, the joint military honor guard will perform left-handed rifle spins, a high-difficulty maneuver that demonstrates the armed forces' commitment to excellence. 

This year's honor guard performance will be around 20-minutes long. Maintaining focus for that duration is no easy feat. But even that seems easy compared to the readiness and vigilance the armed forces are asked to maintain on a daily basis. 

Taiwan's national day is coming up on October 10. On that day there will be a massive ceremony to mark the occasion. On Wednesday morning, the ceremony's organizing committee presented a sneak peek of what the public can expect from this year's celebrations.

October 10 is Taiwan's national day. This year's holiday will mark the 111th anniversary of the Republic of China's founding. The Republic of China is the official name of Taiwan's government. Every year, there's a massive ceremony to celebrate the occasion. And these celebrations are overseen by a planning committee headed by the legislative speaker. On Wednesday, the planning committee held a press conference to show a preview of this year's festivities. 

The theme of this year's national day is a call on the public to come together and protect the country. That's in the face of increasing military aggression from China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory. This year's logo resembles a shield, symbolizing the need for protection.

Legislative Speaker You Si-kun says that it's more important than ever that Taiwan stands united and resists China's bullying. He says Taiwan will not provoke war, but it stands ready to defend itself in the name of regional peace and democracy. 

The national day ceremony is divided into three parts: the prelude, the main ceremony, and then headline performances. There will be bands, military parades, performance troupes, dance groups, choirs, aerial displays, and more. 

At night there will be a concert in Taoyuan City, while a fireworks display will take place in Chiayi County to the south.

With celebrations taking place throughout the country, wherever you are in Taiwan, you will never be too far from festivities.

Taiwan's National Day fireworks show will be held at the Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum in Chiayi County. The special event is hosted by different cities each year.

In addition to setting off 25,000 dazzling fireworks, there will also be a sound and light show featuring a water dance, drone acrobatics and light sculpture projections. 

The Taipei Sinfonietta & Philharmonic Orchestra will play a wide range of iconic Taiwanese hits including music from Wubai and China Blue as well as traditional folk songs. 

Chiayi County is in southern Taiwan and includes famous sights such as Alishan and Jade Mountain. The Southern Branch of the National Palace Museum is 70 hectares and consists of a park, landscape bridge and museum.

An outdoor bazaar will also be held on National Day near the museum and will feature more than 400 stands selling an array of local products and culinary delicacies.

Taiwan is getting ready to celebrate National Day on October 10. Many foreign and local dignitaries are slated to attend the main events in Taipei. Meanwhile, students from Mingchuan University are getting ready to serve as VIP attendants, as their classmates have been doing for almost four decades.

Thirty-one students from Mingchuan University in Taipei chant in unison that they are ready for this year's National Day. These volunteers will assist guests of honor and high-ranking dignitaries from Taiwan and abroad attending the celebrations on October 10.

Students from Mingchuan University have been serving as National Day attendants for the past 38 years. They have to pass through a rigorous selection process. Many say serving at the event will be an unforgettable experience.

The volunteers need to have strong foreign language skills and be mindful of the guests' needs and conditions. The university says this year's training focused especially on pandemic protocol. Attendants have been instructed, for example, to spot breathing difficulties among guests in case the weather turns hot and humid on National Day.

With face masks still required in Taiwan, some attendants chose to highlight their eyes when applying makeup. They say orange and red are the colors to go with this year.

With less than two weeks to go before the event, the attendants are still working hard to prepare for the job. It is through their enthusiasm, talents, and youthful energy that Taiwan will be able to show its best face.