Roughly 1,000 guests have so far experienced a one-of-a-kind farm stay in Taiwan where tourist-labourers do everything from plant quinoa crops to make local arts and crafts.

Taiwan contract chip maker TSMC will begin ‘risk production’ of its 3-nanometre process this year, a technology advance that will deliver higher performance and longer battery life for 5G smartphones and other high-end electronics products.

Taiwan is becoming increasingly attractive for expats due to its successful handling of the coronavirus pandemic, its media freedoms and ‘gold card’ scheme for skilled workers.

Taiwan’s government has forecast the island’s economy to grow 3.83 per cent in 2021, thanks to demand for hi-tech exports and companies reshoring production from China.

Taiwanese tech exports to mainland China and Hong Kong have seen strong growth in recent months, as Beijing looks to loosen its reliance on US technology.

Taiwan is retraining older workers, courting overseas talent and increasing financial incentives for parents as its population is set to decline this year for the first time.

From buying duty-free make-up to in-flight meals, all the usual aspects of overseas travel are included in flights to nowhere offered by Taiwanese airlines – trips that are selling out fast.

While much has been made of the US’ renewed commercial interest in Taiwan, European firms remain the largest source of inbound investment.

Employment in Taiwan’s core industry, hi-tech hardware, has fared well this year as work-from-home arrangements and pandemic lockdowns increased the need for personal computers.

In Taiwan every weekend, thousands of visitors hire bikes and ride through the disused Caoling railway tunnel on the island’s east coast, drawn by history and its cool interior.

Taiwan wants a trade deal with China to support its strong exports, but also wants to sign a pact with the US to diversify its trading profile.

India’s giant market, inexpensive skilled workforce and generous tax breaks aren’t the only things drawing investment from Taiwanese firms.

As Beijing tightens its grip on the city, the self-ruled island offers a similar culture and cheaper labour – but barriers include scarcity of finance-sector talent and a lack of clarity over incentives.

Tax breaks in Taiwan, trade war tariffs and supply chain vulnerabilities exposed by the coronavirus pandemic are making China increasingly unappealing for Taiwanese firms.

Hotels in Taiwan are empty, but campgrounds on the island are packed as people staycation their fears away – from hillside retreats that are close to nature, to tents pitched in an office building in downtown Kaohsiung.

Taiwanese export orders unexpectedly increased by 4.3 per cent in March from a year earlier, fuelling government optimism about economic growth in 2020.

More than three quarters of US companies in Taiwan say they are feeling the impact of the coronavirus on their business, says the American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei.

The cherry blossoms are out, and despite the coronavirus, crowds are gathering to photograph them and enjoy the views. This is not Japan, however, but Taipei, Taiwan, where the trees have beautiful rural backdrops and are easy to reach.

American companies in Taiwan are worried about the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the local economy and are also concerned about the US-China trade war.

Taiwan’s tourism sector is suffering from the coronavirus outbreak, despite a small number of confirmed cases on the self-ruled island, the government and insiders say.

Cafe culture is taking over Chifeng Street in Taipei, Taiwan, which for the past half-century has been dominated by car repair shops. But can the coffee shops and mechanics survive side by side?

Island government has approved 156 new investment projects this year, many relocating from China or opting to add capacity in Taiwan to avoid US tariffs.

Tourism operators in Taiwan are reporting a big jump in the number of South Korean and Japanese visitors to the island as a result of tensions between Seoul and Tokyo.

Taiwan and Britain are pushing ahead with trade talks despite the risk of backlash from China.

Love hotels lurk in most East Asian cities but in Taiwan the market stands out for having almost no mid-priced hotels – you either get a cheap plain room or a pricey ultra-private stay in themed quarters with names like ‘Fast Climax’.

In a place where the only cats most people see are the stray ones at markets or prowling rooftops, Genki Cat Café’s 26 felines have helped make the animal more widely accepted.

Slow down, sleep in, walk around, or read, says the laid-back owner of a book exchange in Guanxi, a rural township built on tea. There’s a museum to the drink, century-old town houses to admire, and stay in, and Hakka food galore.

Little-known Forbidden City Museum in suburban Luzhou houses more than 10,000 relics from Beijing’s imperial palace. Visitors can get a personalised tour of the intimate space from its owner and curator.

The next round of tariffs that could take effect in July would include electronic products assembled in China, which could hit Taiwanese firms hard.

Exports cover 77 per cent of Taiwan’s GDP, an estimated US$595 billion in 2019, making the island vulnerable to global demand shifts offshore.