An Asian city with an international outlook and strong regional connections, Taipei is working hard to establish a more distinct modern identity among its powerful neighbors.

The political capital for Taiwan’s population of 23 million, Taipei City is also the island’s economic and cultural center. Taipei City is home to 2.7 million; along with neighboring Keelung and New Taipei City, 7 million people live in the greater Taipei metropolitan area.

Situated in the island’s north, Taipei City lies in a former lake bed intersected by the Danshui, Xindun and Keelung rivers that link the city to the Taiwan Straits and the Taipei and Keelung ports. The Yangming Mountains, hot spring resorts and weekend hiking and biking trails are all within an hour of downtown Taipei.

Twenty-first century Taipei is a friendly, easy-to-navigate city. The Mass Rapid Transit system opened in 1996 and has a network of six lines. More lines are planned, including the Taoyuan International Airport MRT line due to open in late 2014.

Taiwan promotes its location and mindset as being at the “Heart of Asia.” With its proximity to mainland China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia, it has secured its place in the global economy for centuries.

The Dutch spotted Taiwan’s potential for trade during the 17th century; the Spanish soon followed. Both established bases here before being driven out by Qing Dynasty forces. In 1875, the Taipei prefecture was established, and the island attracted migrants from Fujian province as well as the Hakka people from southern China.

Japan occupied Taiwan from 1895 until the end of World War II, when the Kuomintang, known as the KMT, assumed control of the island. After the civil war and subsequent founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, Chiang Kai Shek led his defeated KMT forces to Taiwan and made Taipei their capital. The KMT brought along a phenomenal number of China’s national treasures, moved into safekeeping during the war. This priceless loot can now be viewed in the National Palace Museum.

The jadeite cabbage at the National Palace Museum © Taipei City Govt.

Through the 1950s and 1960s, the island changed from an agricultural to a manufacturing economy, a transformation known as the Taiwan Miracle. From the late 1980s onward, Taiwan’s pragmatic manufacturers shifted labor-intensive manufacturing to low-cost centers in southern China and elsewhere in Asia. Meanwhile, technical services industries such as design engineering and information technology expanded, making Taiwan a world-class, high-tech manufacturing center.

Taiwanese companies produce the lion’s share of the world’s notebook and tablet computers, motherboards, servers and other IT peripherals. Headquartered in Taipei, Foxconn is the world’s largest electronics manufacturer, employing 800,000 workers (mainly in China) to manufacture products for Apple, Cisco, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Samsung and other global brands.

According to Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute, more than 20 Taiwanese companies’ high-tech products rank the top three in the world, and many enjoy more than a 50 percent share of their global market. The best-known Taiwanese brands include computer companies Asus and Acer and smartphone manufacturer HTC.

The United States is Taiwan’s third-largest trading partner. Taiwan’s Ministry of Economic Affairs established the Taiwan-U.S. Industrial Collaboration Promotion Office in 2012 to encourage cooperation for specific industries and services, including green energy, biotechnology, intellectual property and telecommunications.

Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China signed the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement in 2010. Described as the most significant agreement since 1949, the ECFA is part of efforts by Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou to establish closer economic ties with mainland China and reduce tensions in the region.

Direct cross-strait flights between Taiwan and mainland China were introduced in December 2008. Weekly direct cross-strait flights are expected to hit more than 600 in 2013 to meet demand. In 2012, about 2.2 million of Taiwan’s 7.3 million visitors were from China.

Having shaken off a gray industrial past in favor of a high-tech future, Taipei is building a reputation as one of the “greener” cities in Asia. Second-term mayor Hau Lung-bin strives to make Taipei a more vibrant and happier city. Tipped as a candidate for Taiwan’s 2016 presidential elections, Hau wants to make Taipei the cultural and creative capital of the “ethnic Chinese world.”

Small signs of the city’s commitment to improving the environment are sprouting everywhere. Green walls mask construction sites, recycling bins are prominently positioned (and used correctly), and trees and parks break up the concrete and glass of the commercial districts. Many of the city’s wide, tree-lined pavements have cycle paths, and the YouBike program lets you hire a bike at one point and return it to another.

In 2011, The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Asian Green City Index ranked Taipei above average in seven of eight categories. The city scored well for its excellent public transportation system, incentives to encourage the use of eco-friendly construction materials, green roofs and green space.

Taipei 101 is an unexpected symbol of Taipei’s green aspirations. Located in the Xinyi financial district, the iconic 1,670-foot skyscraper briefly held the title of the world’s tallest building from its opening in 2004 until 2010, when it was overtaken by Burj Khalifa. In 2011, however, Taipei 101 achieved LEED Platinum Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, making it the world’s tallest green building.

Inspired by bamboo and traditional Chinese design elements, Taipei 101’s blue-green glass curtain wall is divided into eight distinct layers trimmed with lights that change color each night of the week.

Fruit stand at a night market © Paulwongkwan | Dreamstime.com,

Hosting eclectic happenings from summer pool parties to a springtime farmers’ market, W Taipei has become a destination in itself. When it opened in 2011, it was one of the first 5-star hotels to open in the city in more than a decade. Le Méridien Taipei and Okura Prestige Taipei recently joined that list. More hotels including Cozzi, Madison Taipei and Mandarin Oriental, Taipei are due to open in the next year, followed by a Marriott in 2015.

Taipei’s demand for more international hotels is fueled by a growing number of visitors, especially from Southeast Asia, mainland China and Hong Kong, where Taipei is famous first and foremost as a destination for dining and shopping. A genuine fusion cuisine with Shanghainese, Hakka and southern Chinese elements, Taiwanese food is popular throughout Asia. Excellent Japanese food is a long-standing feature of the culinary scene, and snack stalls at Taipei’s night markets make for a fantastic food safari.

Taipei’s commitment to becoming a more livable city extends to investment in the arts and repurposing heritage buildings that lay hidden among the high-rises for decades. In Zhongshan, the former American consulate has been restored as SPOT Taipei Film House. Built in 1901, the elegant mansion is now a multipurpose arts center with a cinema screening mainly art house movies.

Huashan 1914 Creative Park © Taipei Huashan 1914

At Huashan 1914 Creative Park, also in Zhongshan, the rustic brick buildings of a former saké and plum wine factory are now home to a mix of galleries, artists’ studios, exhibition space and quirky pop-up stores selling handcrafted items. There’s a cinema and a plaza for craft fairs and farmers’ markets, and a surprisingly large lawn space doubles as a concert venue and gathering point for dogs and owners. An outdoor table at one of its handful of bars and restaurants is the best place to take in the scene.

This year, the Songshan Cultural and Creative Park opens on a large city block near Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall and Taipei City Hall. Built by the Japanese in 1937 as a model factory, the former Songshan Tobacco Plant produced cigarettes until 1998 despite the pressure for land in the city center. Among the renovated factories and warehouses are the Taiwan Design Museum and Farglory Dome, a purpose-built futuristic 40,000-seat indoor stadium that will be used primarily for baseball — Taiwan’s national sport.

As Taipei works to distinguish itself from North Asian competitors, attract more business and make the city a more attractive place, there are plans to restore more historic treasures and to open up green areas, including the revitalization of the Tamsui River ahead of the 2017 World Student Games.

Things to Do in Taipei

Head to the Shilin District between the Keelung River and the mountains, a traditional district where the largest night market and the National Palace Museum are both must-sees.

A majestic building in a lush location north of the city, the museum houses the greatest collection of Chinese art and artifacts in the world. The collection is so vast, it is said to display only a fraction of its treasure trove of more than 680,000 pieces at any one time.

Built on a hillside, the National Palace Museum’s collections include remarkable ancient bronzes and dazzling displays of Chinese ceramics and porcelain. Even here, food is important. Lines form to see the delicately carved jadeite cabbage with two grasshoppers and a piece of quartz carved and embellished to resemble the most perfect piece of pork belly. Open 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily, the museum draws throngs of visitors from China eager to see the art and artifacts that were spirited away more than 60 years ago. To avoid crowds, visit on a Friday or Saturday evening when the museum stays open until 8:30 p.m. Admission is about $6.

Any night of the week, Shilin Night Market is a fun and filling outing. Stretching over three blocks, the market is open from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. Head to Jiantian MRT and follow the signs.

Night markets in Taipei are as much about eating as shopping. The shops stay open, too, seemingly oblivious of greasy fingers. Most stalls are clean, and the food is delicious. For a few dollars you can try spicy deep-fried squid, scallion pancakes, oyster omelets, meat skewers, tempura and more styles of fried and baked dumplings than you thought possible. “Stinky tofu” is an acquired taste, but if you like pork, hunt down the traditional stalls selling Fuzhou-style peppery pork buns baked in charcoal ovens.

Desserts include Taiwanese pao pao bing ice cream, sweet tofu, crème brûlée and local fruit. If it’s hot, try Taipei’s favorite way to eat fruit — piled over shaved ice — brilliant in its simplicity.

If you can’t make it to Shilin, Taipei’s more than a dozen night markets include Raohe Street Market in Songshan and Linjiang Street Market in Xinyi.

Taipei: Just the Facts

Time Zone: GMT +8
Phone Code: Country code: 886 City code: 2
Currency: New Taiwan dollar
Entry/Exit Requirements: U.S. citizens may visit for up to 30 days without a visa. Passports must be valid for six months beyond the period of stay.
Official Language: Mandarin Chinese; Hokkien and Hakka dialects are also spoken along with some English and Japanese
Key Industries: Electronics, communications and information technology products, tourism

Taipei Info to Go

Most international flights arrive at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport (TPE), located 30 miles from downtown. There is no rail link to the city. Taxis are plentiful and cost $30–40 for a journey of about 50 minutes. Make sure you have a map or your destination written in Chinese for your driver. Frequent buses service major destinations and hotels. Bus fares average $4–5 and journey time is 60–90 minutes, depending on traffic. The MRT in Taipei City is efficient; fares start below $1.

CHECKING IN WITH CHAO HSIN-PING

Commissioner, Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City

WHAT DRAWS BUSINESS TRAVELERS TO TAIPEI?
A city’s schedule of meetings and exhibitions is the best way to see what is attracting business travelers. A major exhibition is staged in Taipei about every three days. Among these are Computex Taipei, the second-biggest computer expo in the world, and the Taipei International Auto Parts & Accessories Show. The business travel market is one of our key international tourism sources. Business travelers participating in exhibitions and meetings bring greater benefits. In March and April 2013, Taipei received 12,000 Amway China incentive visitors, all staying in 5-star hotels. The economic benefits for Taipei totaled about $36.5 million. Because of this, Taipei’s tourism strengths — its fine foods; cultural landscape; warm, friendly and hospitable citizens; and convenient transportation system — are showcased internationally and integrated into the world travel map via word of mouth.

WHAT ARE THE STRENGTHS OF TAIPEI’S CREATIVE INDUSTRIES?
Neighborhoods are the best indicators of a mature and vital creative city. Because of their various historic, cultural, economic and other background influences, neighborhoods develop distinctive characters. Taipei has always been a place of free and open development; a place where small is beautiful and there is pride in cultural diversity; a place where a street block is a world unto itself. Over the past decade or so, more creative-type people surged into Taipei’s bustling core, opening stores and companies.

WHAT ARE RECENT IMPROVEMENTS TO TAIPEI’S INFRASTRUCTURE?
We have achieved direct-flight cooperation agreements between Taipei’s Songshan Airport and Shanghai’s Hongqiao Airport, Tokyo’s Haneda Airport and Seoul’s Gimpo Airport, making Taipei an East Asia aviation hub. The city is energetically implementing the New Ten Major Construction Projects initiative, which includes the Songshan Airport redevelopment.

WHAT ARE THE HOT TOPICS FOR TAIPEI BUSINESS TRAVEL?
Experiential tourism. Instead of the common approach of rushing through a line-up of tourist attractions with only a cursory look at each, the emphasis for experiential tourism is to make every moment of the touring process one of enjoyment.

Where to Stay in Taipei

Grand Hyatt Taipei Adjacent to the Taipei World Trade Center, this grand business hotel is one of the largest in the city, with 865 guestrooms and suites plus 10 dining venues. 2 Songshou Road, Xinyi District $$$$

Villa 32 A beautiful place to spend a day in Taipei’s hot spring area, Villa 32 offers private hot spring rooms and suites. Reopens this month after renovations. 32 Zhongshan Road, Beitou District $$$$

W Taipei Stylish and friendly, the W Taipei has 405 welcoming guestrooms with creative, thoughtful touches and stunning design throughout the hotel. 10 Zhongxiào E. Road, Section 5, Xinyi District $$$$

Restaurants in Taipei

Alleycat’s A relaxed venue in Taipei’s new creative hub, Alleycat’s offers delicious, oven-baked pizzas, craft beers, a reasonable wine list and a rare chance to dine alfresco. 1 Bade Road, Section 1, Zhongshan District $$

Din Tai Fung Exquisite dumplings earned this inexpensive eatery a Michelin star and fans worldwide. Charming, efficient servers ensure lines move fast as you watch the chefs at work. B1 Sogo, 77, Section 6, Zhongshan N. Road, Shilin District $

Shin Yeh 101 Credited with taking Taiwanese fare upmarket, Shin Yeh serves modern and traditional dishes. The Taipei 101 restaurant is the flagship. Book ahead. 85-1F Taipei 101, 7, Section 5, Xinyi Road, Xinyi District $$$

Read more about Taipei’s YouBike program here.