Zheng Jing continued the legacy of Ming governance in Taiwan, gaining the support of Ming loyalists. His administration, spearheaded by his family and officers, focused on agricultural and infrastructural development. By 1666, Taiwan was self-sufficient in terms of grain harvests.^[42] Under his rule, various cultural and educational institutions were established, including an Imperial Academy and Confucian Shrine, along with the implementation of regular civil service exams.^[43] Zheng Jing also sought to educate the aboriginal tribes, introducing them to advanced farming techniques and the Chinese language.^[44]

Despite efforts to assimilate the aboriginal people, the expansion of Chinese settlements led to tensions and rebellions. Zheng Jing’s rule was harsh on those who resisted his policies; for instance, several hundred Shalu tribe members were killed during one campaign. At the same time, the Chinese population in Taiwan more than doubled,^[45] and military troops were transitioned into military colonies. 

By 1684, Taiwan’s cultivated land had tripled compared to what it was at the end of the Dutch era in 1660.^[46] Zheng’s merchant fleets were able to maintain trade relations with Japan and Southeast Asia, securing profits through the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan under Zheng Jing not only held monopolies on certain commodities like deer skin and sugarcane but also achieved greater economic diversification than the Dutch colony it replaced. Additionally, by the end of Zheng's rule in 1683, the government was generating over 30% more annual income in silver than under Dutch rule in 1655.