Inside the new Hong Kong: Taiwan is threatened by China, but friendly locals want it to become the region’s cultural and tourist centre

“We all get a little nervous as April and August approach.”

It’s not entirely clear to me what Brian Hioe, a journalist and activist, means, so I ask him to explain between mouthfuls of beef broth and dumplings.

He informs me that the sea in the strait between China and Taiwan is at its calmest during these months, making an invasion more likely.

One of the many attractions of the special island of Taiwan is the resilience of its people.

They manage to be serious and humorous, relaxed and alert. They are also incredibly hospitable to foreign tourists.

Tower Power: John Kampfner kicks off Taiwan tour in Taipei, the bustling capital (photo)

Brian not only wants to talk about the threat from “over there” – China – but also wants to introduce me to Wang’s Broth.

This restaurant, in the heart of Huaxi Street Night Market, may look more like a canteen, but the establishment attracts celebrities – even the newly elected president felt the need to check it out during the recent campaign – and it’s listed in the Michelin Guide.

Shortly before my visit, Chinese fighter jets threatened Taiwan’s airspace. Yet locals remain calm (or rather, vocal) and carry on; they assume that an invasion hasn’t happened in decades, so why would it happen now?

Now that dictators elsewhere are cracking down, they see a market opportunity. They believe Taiwan is replacing Hong Kong as the region’s cultural and tourist hub. And they’re right. Once a bold beacon of free speech, Hong Kong now feels anxious. Like in major cities in mainland China, you worry that someone is watching you and making sure you don’t step out of line.

Taiwan couldn’t be more different. With its noisy, wide streets, the capital Taipei isn’t classically beautiful. Yet there’s no shortage of places to visit and it’s easy to get around.

John dines at Wang’s Broth in Taipei’s Huaxi Street Night Market (pictured above). The restaurant is in the Michelin Guide, he reveals

Above, the National Palace Museum in Taipei, which houses the largest collection of 5,000 years of Chinese art and artifacts in the world

My first destination is the Maokong Gondola which takes you from Taipei Zoo over oolong tea plantations to one of the various teahouses at the top. If you are not afraid of heights, choose one of the cable cars with a glass floor.

The most famous landmark in Wanhua, Taipei’s oldest district, is Longshan, or Dragon Mountain Temple. Watch as worshippers throw two pieces of wood, called jiaobei blocks, onto the ground and wait for the divine response. Depending on how they land, the answer they receive is “yes,” “no,” or “maybe” to whatever prayer they’ve uttered.

The National Palace Museum contains the largest collection of 5,000 years of Chinese art and artifacts in the world. In 1949, when the communists took over the mainland, the nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek fled and established an alternate Republic of China on the island.

During his stay in Taipei, John stays at the Shangri-La, which has ‘luxurious rooms with panoramic floor-to-ceiling views of the city and surrounding mountains’

Above, the Shangri-La’s rooftop pool and jacuzzi

They brought the artifacts with them and here they are, much to the ire of Beijing. Apparently the museum has 700,000 pieces and it would take days to do them justice. It’s best to focus on a room or two, and look at the scrolls, vases or ornate ceramic figurines from the 7th century.

One building towers over the city. Taipei 101 was the world’s tallest skyscraper when it opened in 2004. It was overtaken by Dubai’s Burj Khalifa in 2010. I take the express elevator for lunch at one of the restaurants on the 85th floor.

So much for the size. Taipei’s true charm is found in its small streets. My favourite area is Da’an, just south of the city centre, where the main university is located. I stay at the Shangri-La here, its opulent rooms offering floor-to-ceiling panoramic views of the city and the surrounding mountains. The best view of all is from the rooftop pool and jacuzzi.

John visits Yangmingshan, a national park with ‘well-marked hiking trails’

You can’t get lost in Taiwan, or rather, you can get lost, but within seconds someone will offer to help you. If their English is lacking, speak into a translation app on your phone and you’ll be directed with a smile.

Strolling is part of the fun. Otherwise I wouldn’t have found a speakeasy near my hotel one night where two super cool Japanese bartenders give you a cocktail.

But it’s just as easy to get away from it all. An hour from Taipei by bus, rental car or taxi lies Yangmingshan, a national park with well-marked hiking trails.

I spend a night on the edge of the park in a spa hotel, where you can relax for hours in the various hot and ice-cold baths, surrounded by bamboo and birdsong.

I take the superfast train to Tainan, the old capital, but prefer the more modern city of Kaohsiung. They have managed to build the largest single-space theater in the world here. I happen to be here on the eve of the spectacular dragon boat festival.

But Taiwanese don’t have to rely on national holidays to get out and enjoy themselves. They live for the day. Their enthusiasm, their defiance, is infectious.