Setting Taiwanese Special Forces soldiers demonstrate during a ceremony in Hsinchu in September this year
There are many differences between China and the United States, but the main point of contention is an island where earthquakes and typhoons are frequent. Journey through a region at the center of a major global storm
TIbi, October 24, 2023, 7:05 AM. The day started with the floor and walls of the room shaking. It sounded like an earthquake. Or will it just be a nightmare? We were in the capital of Taiwan, the South Pacific island considered by many international relations experts to be “the epicenter of the China-US rivalry.” The initial panic was confirmed: it was indeed an earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale. The Taipei Times reported the next day that every year, on average, Taiwan experiences two or three earthquakes with a magnitude greater than 6.0. Nothing unusual, after all. A phenomenon as common as hurricanes that frequently hit that tropical island was described by Joseph Conrad as unparalleled.
In general, the atmosphere is comfortable. “Everything is fine,” says Carlos Coto, an architect who has lived in Taiwan for nearly a decade. In 2015, the only Portuguese restaurant in Taipei, called Tuga, opened. It features a chef from Lisbon, Nelson Santos, and a wine cellar with over 400 wines, all produced in Portugal. “I never imagined I would have a restaurant,” says the architect. “I thought it was going to be hell, but it turned into fun.”
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