i'm doing jfk/nrt/tpe/hkg/can return starting next tuesday, so i have current info for you

its almost as far to fly from lax as jfk, and song is all-economy, so this is not a good option

and business is not business, depending on who you are flying

look at seatguru= some have 38 inch business pitch, some have 78 inch! huge difference!!

there are also some very weird itineraries- like stopping in stockholm and KL, on the way to TPE-and you are flying for like 40 hours- but boy can i get you a cheap deal if you will fly MH!

just go into any local chinatown (i.e. flushing) and find a taiwanese agency (look for the EVA/China Air stickers, not the Air China agent)

or- just do a google search and you find, for example, that angel travel is offering r/t taipei business class for $2420 plus tax on NW- legitimate Z fare (this was a good deal, pre-strike)

and there is no savings TPE/HKG - its a cheap tkt anyway, just buy it locally- from a travel agent, not from the hotel concierge

if you plan to cross the border to China remember you must get a visa before you go!