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Taiwan is well and truly on the tourist trail for mainland Chinese and other Asian visitors, and a increasing number of Western tourists. The Capital Taipei and the southern port city of Kaohsiung are the premier attractions and entry points. Taiwan's population of some 23 million people enjoy a high standard of living and modern cities, roads and infrastructure.
Located in Eastern Asia, Taiwan is situated between the East China Sea, Philippine Sea, South China Sea, and Taiwan Strait off the southeastern coast of China. The climate is tropical; with a rainy season during the southwest monsoon which runs from June to August. Cloudiness is persistent and extensive all year. The eastern two-thirds of Taiwan is mostly rugged mountains; with flat to gently rolling plains in the west.
Visitors are welcomed in this tiny island nation and there is an excellent range of hotels and resorts to choose from. Hotelz Asia can assist with Hotel Reservations right across Taiwan.
In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to Japan. Taiwan reverted to Chinese control after World War II. Following the Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the 1946 constitution drawn up for all of China.
Over the next five decades, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and incorporated the native population within the governing structure. In 2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from the Nationalist to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic "Tigers."
The dominant political issues continue to be the relationship between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of eventual unification - as well as domestic political and economic reform.
Taiwan has a dynamic capitalist economy with gradually decreasing guidance of investment and foreign trade by government authorities. In keeping with this trend, some large government-owned banks and industrial firms are being privatized.
Exports have provided the primary impetus for industrialization. The trade surplus is substantial, and foreign reserves are the world's third largest. Agriculture contributes less than 2% to GDP, down from 32% in 1952. Taiwan is a major investor throughout Southeast Asia.
China has overtaken the US to become Taiwan's largest export market. Because of its conservative financial approach and its entrepreneurial strengths, Taiwan suffered little compared with many of its neighbors from the Asian financial crisis in 1998. The global economic downturn, combined with problems in policy coordination by the administration and bad debts in the banking system, pushed Taiwan into recession in 2001, the first year of negative growth ever recorded. Unemployment also reached record levels.
Output recovered moderately in 2002 in the face of continued global slowdown, fragile consumer confidence, and bad bank loans; and the essentially vibrant economy pushed ahead in 2003-04. Growing economic ties with China are a dominant long-term factor, e.g., exports to China of parts and equipment for the assembly of goods for export to developed countries.
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HOTEL RESERVATIONS 
