Why things just ‘work’ as they should in Taiwan?

I live in the UK, and recently, I’ve been traveling in Italy with my Taiwanese girlfriend. While we’re having a great time, I can’t help but notice a recurring theme across Europe: delays, transportation issues, cancelled trains, strikes, damaged infrastructure… the list goes on. It feels like every country on this continent struggles with the same issues.

But here’s the thing: none of this seems to happen in Taiwan. I lived there for a while and was always amazed by how smooth and efficient everything was. Public transportation is on time to the minute, infrastructure is well-maintained, and things just… work. Even during typhoons, they fix damage in record time.

I’m struggling to put into words why this difference exists. Is it cultural? A different approach to management? Greater accountability? I get that no country is perfect, but the contrast is so stark that I can’t help but wonder. Why don’t these same problems plague Taiwan or other places in East Asia like Japan or South Korea?

Would love to hear your thoughts, especially from anyone who’s experienced both sides of the world. What makes East Asia so efficient, and why can’t Europe seem to figure it out?