So I started off the game with a coastal start and found out quite naturally that I was situated around what appears to be a lake with a narrow river at one end, and an island splitting access at the other side. I decided that taking over the chokepoints and effectively controlling the lake Taipei was settled in was paramount.
Then along came North Sea Alliance, which settled off the coast of the subcontinent to Taipei's southeast. I posted a Marine unit off the tip of their land border. On the Western front, I encountered Al Falah and she was bent on expansion. So I traded favorably with NSA and Al Falah. But my most important trade partners are the city state trade routes. When they settle near Taipei, I tend to settle a city two squares from them in order to protect them from attack by other factions.
I prioritize placement of my cities near titanium and rivers. Firaxis and oil are second tier. Titanium to me is alchemist gold and is always worth building cities around, especially when taking into account the three hex radii.
I started getting into the habit of establishing spy satellites especially over firaxite sources, definately an advantage for ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance). China at the moment is troubling me North of Jimboomba.