5 global cities in 8 days. City 2: Taipei
In this blog you can read the continuation of my series: 5 world cities in 8 days. Haven't read the other blogs yet? Read these first:
After Singapore we fly to Taipei, capital of Taiwan.
Why Taipei?
If the Chinese get nervous when Donald Trump calls the president of Taiwan, then something special must be going on there! After all, China considers Taiwan to be a province of China, and only 16 countries in the world do NOT recognise this. So when “The Donald” makes a call, what does that mean for the relationship between the two superpowers, China and the USA?
But what is actually going on over there, so let's break it down:
- Formosa former name for Taiwan
- 1887: annexed by the Chinese
- 1894 – 1895: Formosa occupied by Japan, transformed into the satellite state Kingdom of Taiwan
- 1948: Taiwan reunited with mainland China. China continues to view Taiwan as a breakaway province of the Chinese empire, while Taiwan wants to remain independent.
Demographics and facts
- Taipei is a city with a population density that is 40% higher than in the Netherlands
- 70% of Taiwan is covered in forests and mountains
- 90% of the population lives on the west coast
- 2.7 million inhabitants, of whom 73.9 % are between 15 and 64 years old
- 19e world economy and 8e in Asia
- Well-known brands: ASUS, HTC and ACER, but the largest company from Taiwan is Evergreen (shipping, airline, hotel chain, steel)
(source: e.g. Wikipedia)
The Taiwanese are very disciplined, close-knit, and that in turn is due to the constant threat from China!
From the airport to Taipei
This time we're taking a taxi from the airport to the city because we know the train takes a shortcut through the mountains and forests. We are only in Taipei for 1 night and so we want to see as much as possible along the way to get a feel for this city of 2.7 million inhabitants.
101
After a quick check-in at the lovely W Hotel and a meet & greet with the guide (because you really need one there) we walk straight to the Taipei 101. After all, you want to get to know a city immediately, and so this time we aren't cycling, but instead we first go and stand on a tall building to get an impression of the surroundings. The 101 is a true landmark on the world map, a building that everyone knows. We explore the retail in and around the building and then take the lift to the top with a fantastic view over the city.
We soon realise that Taipei is a mature city with little space for new construction. That has its charm because we often view the large cities of Asia as modern metropolises. Not here, but certainly no less interesting! What we thought was really cool is this truck with illuminated advertising! Maybe an idea for a new concept in Europe?
Taipei Fish Market
After exploring the city centre, we set off in the evening for the Taipei Fish Market. It’s a place where a wholesale market – similar to Schmidt Zeevis – and restaurants come together. There’s a brilliant atmosphere, and the group came away with a new idea for adapting this concept to their own local area.
The Taipei Night Market
Taipei also has a huge “night market”. The Shilin Night Market is located quite a long way north of the centre. Given the range of retail products as well as the enormous food offering, this is definitely a place we should fit into the programme for the group.
Next Stop Shanghai
After a short night's sleep, we leave by High Speed Train from the centre of Taipei to the airport in 25 minutes. Next stop is Shanghai! A city we also visited 7 years ago, when it was still somewhat chaotic and dirty, so we are curious to see what they have achieved in the space of 7 years. I will tell you more about our experience in Shanghai in my next blogStay informed and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn!