Taiwan: The Hidden Gem of East Asia

How the small island became a champion of living standards.

Most people were generally surprised when I mentioned my intention to visit Taiwan, as “Why Taiwan?” quickly emerged as the most common question I was asked before and during my stay. I'm not sure under what circumstances I decided to visit Taiwan, but I must have heard someone mention the food experience, and that was probably a good enough reason for me to move there for two months. I think that differentiating Taiwan from its relative Asian tigers is not an obvious task. Taipei may not appear as groundbreaking to someone who's already familiar with other notorious cities in East Asia. But I think it's fairly accurate to describe Taiwan as a blend of Japanese and Chinese influences. This is not entirely surprising, as the archipelago was ceded to Japan for over fifty years before becoming the Republic of China following Japan's defeat in World War II. The Japanese influence remains noticeable in the architecture and serenity of certain neighborhoods, the efficiency of the transportation infrastructure, and the overwhelming number of convenience stores.

Taiwan is also very westernized, and a city like Taipei has the same standardized structures as large American cities. Urban planning follows a grid pattern with large and uncrowded pedestrian sidewalks, making it very convenient to get around. The city has many high-rise buildings, including Taipei 101, formerly known as the tallest building before the Burj Khalifa. Apart from a few specific areas, Taipei is not a beautiful city overall, there is no consistent architectural style, but rather a mixture of the legacy of different influences. In addition, the economic miracle period has drastically accelerated the pace of construction, with little regard for any aesthetic urbanization plans. Behind its modern appearance, Taipei has a surprisingly laid-back vibe, which somehow contradicts the country's reputation for being highly competitive. The city is incredibly tranquil, the sound of a driver's horn is not common, and outside of the main streets, the atmosphere is unusually quiet. Perhaps one of the most remarkable moments was watching people behave as usual after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake.

The Taiwanese are generally considered friendlier than the Chinese and more easy-going than the Japanese. In general, I've found most of them to be very approachable, probably because their culture is one of the most secular in Asia, and also because they have a rather positive view of the Western world. I've also found that people were often helpful and would suggest help if I seemed lost. In the same spirit as other East Asian cultures, politeness is highly prevalent, with a strong emphasis on adherence to rules – less rigid than in Japan, but infinitely stricter than in France. In this respect, Taipei is an extremely clean city, and completely devoid of pigeons due to the absence of food leftovers on the streets, thanks to a waste management policy that does not allow garbage to touch the ground. The garbage collection system in Taiwan is also unique: trash must be taken out during the passage of garbage trucks, which signal their presence by broadcasting a Beethoven melody.

Taiwan's democracy is relatively young: after nearly forty years of martial law, during which 140,000 people were imprisoned or executed, Taiwan's first direct presidential elections officially began in 1996. Today, it's one of the most advanced living democracies in the world, and probably the most progressive in the region. Taiwan was the first country in Asia to legally recognize same-sex marriage and is among the most advanced in terms of gender equality. The Taiwanese education system is often praised for its remarkable test scores and for its high proportion of educated workers, with 45 percent of Taiwanese aged 25-64 holding a bachelor's degree or higher, while the country remains the sixth largest sender of international students to the U.S. Taiwan's healthcare system has been ranked the best in the world for five consecutive years, and its response to the last pandemic is widely regarded as one of the most effective, despite the absence of confinement measures. In terms of public safety, Taiwan is one of the safest places to live with an incredibly low crime rate.

The existential threat from China is rampant and has intensified since the Sunflower Student Movement in 2014 – a collective effort by a group of students to occupy the national legislature, which successfully led to the rejection of a trade pact with China. Although a military invasion is a plausible scenario, it is often portrayed by the Western world in a fatalistic and sensationalist way. According to the Samotsvety – a group of superforecasters with an impressive track record and considered far ahead of its nearest competitor – their prediction of a partial Chinese military occupation of Taiwan by 2030 lies within a range of 8% to 24% chances. A military conflict seems even less likely considering that TSCM constitutes a critical component of the global economy and that commercial ties between Taiwan and China are highly intertwined, with the latter representing Taiwan's largest export market and hosting more than 4,000 Taiwanese companies. On the other hand, a de-escalation of tensions seems unlikely, given that the overwhelming majority of Taiwanese do not favor reunification with China, and more recently, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has triggered an awakening.

Despite its recent appearance in the spotlight, the country is on its way to catching up with its pre-pandemic levels of annual visitors. One of Taiwan's still unsolved mysteries is its complete absence of Westerners, which is unusual for a country that shines on so many indicators, but conversely remains underappreciated. Yet Taiwan is not much further from other East Asian countries. In fact, they offer one of the most competitive and convenient residency plans for skilled workers, and the Taiwanese government even subsidizes visitors through a lottery system. The most plausible explanation for Taiwan's unpopularity may stem from its lack of reputation, presumably as a result of not excelling in any particular field (except semiconductors and bubble tea) and being surrounded by top-tier tourist destinations taking all the fame. In this regard, Japan and South Korea have successfully exported their culture; Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines are widely known as paradise destinations. Taiwanese food is good, but often falls slightly below the level of excellence of its neighbors – although most of the East Asian food culture can be found in Taiwan with a high degree of fidelity. Compared to Singapore or Hong Kong, Taiwan has much more to offer in terms of nature, with stunningly beautiful hiking trails, some of the best cycling routes in the world, and plenty of surfing spots. The overshadowing theory has a good explanatory power for why Taiwan is remarkably pristine, making it more authentic than popular destinations. Without any notable flaws, Taiwan offers one of the most balanced lifestyles in East Asia, which is perhaps its most valuable asset.