TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Taipei City government announced Friday (May 16) that Jensen Huang (黃仁勳), the influential founder and CEO of semiconductor giant NVIDIA, will serve as the torchbearer representing the technology sector at Saturday's opening ceremony of the 2025 World Masters Games. The prestigious event will take place at the Taipei Dome (台北大巨蛋), the city's landmark sports arena. Mayor Chiang Wan-an expressed significant expectations for Huang's high-profile participation.
During the 2025 Taipei International City Forum earlier that day, Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) spoke with reporters about the significance of Huang's involvement. Chiang praised the partnership as concrete evidence of Taipei's dedication to fostering international relationships and technological advancement. The mayor also expressed his hope that Huang would view Taiwan's capital city as a dependable and strategic partner for future collaborations.
Sources close to the negotiations revealed that city officials demonstrated remarkable administrative agility and genuine commitment throughout the venue discussions. The relationship between Taipei City Government and NVIDIA was initially cultivated last year during COMPUTEX Taipei, one of Asia's largest technology trade shows. Officials strategically chose the Taipei Music Center as a collaborative venue, establishing a foundation of mutual trust that officials hope will facilitate expanded cooperation in Taiwan's growing technology sector.
The sources indicated that immediately after confirming Huang's availability in Taiwan, city officials extended the invitation for him to serve as the ceremonial torchbearer. According to these insiders, the tech executive responded with notable enthusiasm, demonstrating his support for the international sporting event and strengthening his personal connection to the city where his parents were born before emigrating to the United States.
When questioned about speculation that Taipei might be selected as NVIDIA's Taiwan headquarters, Mayor Chiang responded with a traditional Chinese expression, saying "the fish are still swimming out there — don't rush to pull in the net." The metaphorical statement suggests negotiations remain ongoing and that premature conclusions should be avoided, though the mayor's tone indicated cautious optimism about the city's prospects.
NVIDIA's potential headquarters location in Taiwan has generated significant attention across the island's technology sector and real estate markets. Recent reports have indicated that the final site will likely be situated within the Beitou Shilin Technology Park (北士科), specifically at plots designated as T17 and T18. The strategic location would position the AI chip giant within Taipei's emerging northern technology corridor. ◼