TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Nvidia's Vice President Scott Ekman presented Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) with a leather-jacketed stuffed polar bear, to which Chiang reciprocated with an EasyCard, which allows users to use Taipei's public transportation services, with a unique design on Monday (Nov. 24). The exchange of gifts followed the official cancellation that day of the land rights for Shin Kong Life Insurance's (新壽) properties T17 and T18 in the Beitou Shilin Technology Park (北士科). The land will revert to Taipei City, which intends to use it for Nvidia's headquarters in Taiwan.
The mayor plans to expedite the signing of a contract with Nvidia, aiming for completion before the Lunar New Year and the commencement of construction by mid-next year. Taipei Deputy Mayor Lee Shu-chuan (李四川) stated on Friday (Nov. 21) that terminating the contract would enable preliminary steps for signing a contract with Nvidia to commence. These steps include approval from Taipei's Urban Planning Commission (計畫委員會) and Nvidia's submission of an investment plan for review.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs (經濟部) confirmed the approval for Nvidia to establish a subsidiary in Taiwan. The company plans to increase its investment to NT$1 billion and emphasized that there is "no investment limit." The Taipei City government paid Shin Kong Life Insurance a fee of NT$4.43 million to terminate its contract, which city officials have indicated that Nvidia will in turn pay.
Wei Pao-sheng (魏寶生), chairman of Shin Kong Life Insurance, expressed happiness over the cancellation of the land rights. Thomas Wu (吳東亮), chairman of TS Financial Holdings (台新新光金), emphasized Shin Kong's longstanding commitment to the Taiwanese people, reinforcing the company's dedication to local interests. TS Financial Holdings is the parent company of Shin Kong Life Insurance.
