Taiwan is located 100 miles east of mainland China in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, sandwiched between Japan to the north and the Philippines to the south.
While the island has been occupied by indigenous Malaysian and Polynesian tribes for thousands of years, its modern history is marked by colonization and conflict. It remains a disputed territory today.
Taiwan was first absorbed into Imperial China by the Qing Dynasty in the 17th century. Japan colonized the island in 1895, and control was returned to China after World War II.
When Mao Zedong’s Communists defeated Chiang Kai-shek’s Nationalist forces in 1949, the Nationalist government and army fled to Taiwan and relocated the government there, calling it the Republic of China (ROC).
The ROC held China’s seat at the United Nations until 1971, when the UN recognized the People’s Republic of China (PRC) as the sole legitimate representative of China.
Today, the PRC views Taiwan as a breakaway province, and wants to reintegrate it with the mainland, threatening force if necessary.
So is it safe to visit a disputed territory like this?
Tourists have hesitated to visit Taiwan since the 1970s, concerned that the Chinese might invade at any moment. Yet nearly 80 years after the establishment of the ROC, and despite Chinese posturing and occasional provocations in the South China Sea, Taiwan remains vibrant and independent.
During a recent visit to Taiwan, I saw no signs of an island under siege. Taiwan has a strong economy (they lead the world in semiconductor manufacturing) with a gleaming, modern capital city (Taipei).
I was struck by the number of skyscrapers in Taipei. It seemed to me that Taipei has more skyscrapers than just about any place else I have visited. And wherever I looked, there were construction cranes adding even more.
Clearly, the Taiwanese economy is not contracting out of fear; it is growing out of optimism and energy. It is difficult to imagine how the cultural divide between capitalist Taiwan and communist China could ever be bridged if China did invade.
A long tradition of Humanistic Buddhism, and especially the Buddhist value of “Merit” (actions rooted in generosity, kindness and volunteerism), translates into a remarkably friendly and helpful local population. When our subway ticket wouldn’t work at the machine, a woman approached us within minutes and offered a coin to pay for our fares. While we were hunched over the maps on our phones, people would frequently stop to offer assistance.
Taipei has what I would describe as a “Hello Kitty” vibe. Bright and joyful anime and Hello Kitty-themed merchandise are everywhere. Backpacks are cluttered with Hello Kitty and other little plush stuffies. The young people are fashionably dressed and seem to be fully occupied with their cellphones, often stopping to pose for selfies.
Taipei is also remarkably orderly. People wait to cross the street with the lights. They stand right and walk left on moving walkways. They have little medallions that clip onto a backpack for expectant women, the elderly, and people with disabilities that may not be immediately apparent. It seems like a race to see who can give up their subway seat first for these people.
There is no trash on the streets. We had a hard time even finding trash bins downtown. I have no idea where the food wrappers and empty coffee cups go, but I never saw them littered about. I had to carry around my empty Starbucks coffee cup for ages until we got into a building that had trash cans.
The skyscrapers I mentioned earlier are not just cold grey stone monoliths. Many of them are architecturally interesting or covered with LED lighting or giant video screens. All of that artistry, color and visual movement contributes to the feeling of vibrant energy throughout the urban core.
The 101 Tower is one of the centerpiece structures in Taipei. This 101-story “super-skyscraper” was the world’s tallest building from 2004 to 2009. The design is reminiscent of both a bamboo stalk and a traditional Chinese pagoda.
In addition to being beautiful, the 101 Tower has something called a “Tuned Mass Damper.” This is a massive, 728-ton steel ball hanging from cables and acting as a pendulum between the 88th and 92nd floors to dampen the sway from wind and earthquakes.
Other tall buildings have dampers, but 101 Tower is one of only two in the entire world (the other being Shanghai Tower) that you can actually see and walk around the damper mechanism.
The Taipei night markets are not to be missed. They have all the foodie delights and exotic charm of many Asian street markets, with the special bonus of two uniquely Taiwanese treats.
First is Bubble Tea (invented in Taiwan). Either you love it (I confess to being in this group) or you gag on the chewy bubbles.
The other is Stinky Tofu (Chou Doufu), which also draws a mix of ardent fans and gag reflexes.
Outside of the capital city of Taipei, the countryside in Taiwan is rugged and beautiful. The island is mountainous, lush and verdant, with rugged coastlines and scenic gorges populated with charming tea houses.
Day tours are easily available from Taipei. If you have more time, you can hike or bike in places like Taroko Gorge, where the highway was carved out of the cliffs high above the gorge and the rapids below.
Taipei is ranked as one of the safest and easiest Asian capital cities to travel in. Trains and subways are clean and simple and will take you just about anywhere.
The street food is amazing, and the countryside is beautiful. But book your journey now, while all this invasion talk is just talk.
(Dan Keyport is a CCLN board member and former Chaska business owner, now retired. His home base for international travel has been Chaska for more than 30 years.)
