Taiwanese expatriates in major US cities and in Paris celebrated Taiwan’s Double Ten National Day in advance on Saturday, with events ranging from a procession of Harley-Davidson motorcycles to a fair held in New York.
One hundred and twenty motorcyclists drove through areas populated by Chinese in Southern California on Harley-Davidson motorbikes adorned with the Republic of China (ROC) national flag. The motorbike procession to celebrate the ROC’s 101st National Day on Wednesday — now in its third year — traveled around communities covering a distance of 64km.
The participants drove as far as San Diego and the state of Arizona, said Christine Chen, director of an association in Los Angeles for Taiwanese expatriates that organized the event.
Photo: Wang Min-wei, Taipei Times
The parade, which lasted for nearly two hours, finally ended at the the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office’s (TECO) culture center which is located in Los Angeles.
Taiwanese expats in New York City’s borough of Queens also observed a flag-raising ceremony and organized a fair on Saturday that attracted hundreds of people.
The ceremony was meaningful because it symbolized the communities’ unanimous support and feeling of solidarity for their home country, said Andrew Kao (高振群), director-general of TECO in New York.
Two official National Day receptions were also staged in Miami and Houston.
The two events drew more than 200 and 1,000 people respectively including US politicians such as Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado and members of the US House of Representatives, as well as local academics and people from the industrial and business sectors.
National Day festivities were also staged at another reception in Paris — attended by 900 Taiwanese expats and supporters of Taiwan.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said yesterday that Deputy Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands Manasseh Maelanga, is to arrive in Taiwan today to attend National Day celebrations during his second trip to the country.
Belize Minister of Tourism and Culture Manuel Heredia is also set to travel to Taiwan today to join National Day festivities, a statement from the ministry said.
Actress Barbie Hsu (徐熙媛) has “returned home” to Taiwan, and there are no plans to hold a funeral for the TV star who died in Japan from influenza- induced pneumonia, her family said in a statement Wednesday night. The statement was released after local media outlets reported that Barbie Hsu’s ashes were brought back Taiwan on board a private jet, which arrived at Taipei Songshan Airport around 3 p.m. on Wednesday. To the reporters waiting at the airport, the statement issued by the family read “(we) appreciate friends working in the media for waiting in the cold weather.” “She has safely returned home.
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