The number plate thing I think might just be the same reason people here like to put Euro plates on cars?

The box for the scooter, its for how they make left turn. You pull into the box and wait for the green on the perpendicular road, especially if you are on the right hand side of the main road(6 lane wide, IIRC) that is one way (like Xing Yi road in Taipei).

FYI, Taiwan for the longest time banned Japanese direct import, so the Japanese OEM had to partner with Taiwanese partners to make cars for Taiwan in Taiwan. Its not until the 90s that it was opened up. The Camry or Corolla or something we used to get were all USDM cars. Now there are much more JDM-style LHD cars. I'd actually probably put them more close to EU spec cars. The main import when I was a kid were USDM or EUDM cars. One of my family friend actually own a New Yorker...

CPC is China Petroleum Company