[Muji]

But there is so much more to a city than its skyline! Central business districts with little or no mixed-use development are some of the most sterile places imaginable, despite how flashy they look from a distance. In terms of human scale and pedestrian-friendliness, Taipei is miles ahead of any Chinese metropolis that I've been to (perhaps with the exception of Hong Kong).

Granted, I have never been to Shanghai, but from what I've seen, I'd much rather meander through the crowds of relatively low-rise Xinyi than walk through a desolate superblock in Lujiazui.

While it can't boast of as many megaprojects as its fellow East Asian cities, Taipei has actually done a pretty fantastic job with its urban development over the last few decades.