I have been coming to Taipei for about twenty five years. Early in my visits we talked with a Taiwanese company about purchasing Bloomingdale's, which was for sale at the time. We were unable to convince the investment bank managing the sale that a Taiwanese company had the wherewithal to close. Those days are fortunately in the past and Taiwanese companies are now world leaders in several fields.
The thing that I notice in Taiwan is that as they modernize their country the government makes few mistakes. High speed trains, the road system, the subway and urban development are all executed in exemplary fashion. Part of this success is undoubtedly attributable to a well educated population and significant financial resources, but the insight into how to use modern technology to improve the quality of life is what impresses me.
The photo is in front of the headquarters of Quanta Computer, the largest manufacturer of laptops in the world. They build the One Laptop per Child XO laptops and are really excellent partners to work with.