New Taipei City did not organize a flag-raising ceremony for this year's National Day. Instead, New Taipei City Mayor Hou You-yi led his senior officials in climbing Mount Guanyin with national flags in their hands. Several days ago, Kuomintang Chairperson Wu Den-yih called on all KMT magistrates and mayors to hold flag-raising ceremonies in their respective counties and cities. When asked if he was disobeying the party, Hou responded that everyone has a different way of showing patriotism and there is no need to overanalyze the situation.


There are times when people don't need to overanalyze an issue. Today, we raised flags, just like our chairperson said. The only thing that was different was the method. We were just informed at the last minute, two to three days ago, so I believe there are also people in other cities and counties who didn't have enough time to prepare. The way that people express themselves may be different, but the way we raise our flag, sing our anthem, and love our country is the same.

Hou added that during his seven years in New Taipei City, he has organized two National Day flag-raising ceremonies and the celebration was different each time. Moreover, the city's most important flag-raising ceremony is always held on New Year's Day. Meanwhile, former New Taipei City Mayor Eric Chu chose to attend Taichung's flag-raising ceremony and praised Hou for his creativity in deciding to mark National Day by organizing a mountain climbing expedition instead of a flag-raising ceremony.



新北市長 侯友宜表示：「有時候一件事情，其實大家都不用過度的解讀，我們今天的升旗，跟我們的主席講的也是一樣的，只不過方式是不一樣，因為已經臨時2、3天才告知，希望鼓勵大家，我相信各縣市也有的人是會來不及，那每一個人所表現的方式，雖然是不一樣，但是升國旗、唱國歌、愛國家這件事都是一樣的。」

侯友宜強調，在新北市7年多，辦國慶日的升旗辦過2次，每一次慶祝的方式都不一樣，至於新北市最重要的升旗典禮，都是辦在元旦的擴大升旗典禮。至於前新北市長朱立倫今天參加台中市府升旗，則是稱讚新北市長侯友宜不辦升旗改率一級主管爬山「很有創意」。