Tomorrow, Oct. 10,  is the National Day of the Republic of China (RoC) (commonly known as Taiwan since the 1970s). It is the anniversary of the start of the Wuchang Uprising of October 10, 1911, which led to the collapse of the Qing Dynasty in China and the establishment of the Republic of China on January 1, 1912. At the end of World War II in 1945 and the Chinese Civil War in 1949, the Republic of China government gained control of Taiwan and established Taipei as its capital but lost control of mainland China.

In Taiwan, the official celebration starts with raising of the flag in front of the Presidential Building followed by a military parade. Later in the day, the President of Taiwan will address the country and fireworks displays are held throughout the major cities of the island.

Double Ten Day is also celebrated by many Overseas Chinese communities.

Parades are held yearly in Chinatowns of San Francisco and Chicago. In mainland China, it is celebrated as the anniversary of the Xinhai Revolution/Wuchang Uprising.

Taiwan’s rapid economic growth in the decades after World War II has transformed it into an advanced economy, one of the Four Asian Tigers. It is categorized as an advanced economy by the International Monetary Fund and high-income economy by the World Bank. Its technology industry plays a key role in the global economy. Taiwan companies manufacture a large proportion of the world’s consumer electronics, although most of them are made in their factories in mainland China.

We congratulate the government and people of Taiwan led by H.E., President Ma Ying-jeou, and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office headed by Representative Donald C.T. Lee, on the occasion of their 98th “Double Ten” Anniversary.