TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Jensen Huang's wardrobe is never accidental. When the Nvidia CEO traded his signature leather jacket for a black-and-white floral shirt at Friday's (Jan. 30) year-end banquet, the costume change preceded major news: a confirmed MediaTek (聯發科) chip partnership and hints of a second Taipei headquarters.
The setting reinforced the message. Huang addressed more than 2,000 employees at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center Hall 2 (南港展覽館二館). The banquet carried the theme "Nvidia Shang Kai Tsan" (輝達尚蓋讚), a Taiwanese Hokkien phrase meaning "Nvidia is the best." Employees followed a "night market style" dress code, reflecting Huang's well-known affection for Taiwan's street food culture.
But the real news came in words, not wardrobe. The Nvidia collaboration with Taiwan-based MediaTek involves developing a powerful system-on-chip. Huang described the product as a low-power, high-performance chip designed for computers with strong artificial intelligence capabilities, with applications spanning a wide range.
The CEO also addressed reports that Nvidia may establish a second facility in Taipei, potentially in the Zhoumei section (洲美段) of Taipei. "It's possible, even probable," he said when asked about the location. Huang offered few specifics on either initiative, declining to provide timelines, investment figures, or technical details.
Huang's Taiwan itinerary told its own story. He arrived by private jet Thursday afternoon and dined that evening with Morris Chang (張忠謀), founder of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (台積電). He met Friday morning with Foxconn (鴻海, also called Hon Hai) Chairman Young Liu (劉揚偉), according to reports, before holding an employee meeting at Nvidia's new Nankang (南港) office. He is scheduled to host supply chain executives at Juan Yao Restaurant (磚窯) on Saturday evening, with leaders from those companies and Quanta (廣達) expected to attend.
The guest list offered another clue. Among the 2,000 employees sat the Tonghua Street (通化街) fruit vendor whom Huang visits on each Taiwan trip — a relationship that has become symbolic of his cultivated local ties. Vanessa Lee (李文如), a former Taiwan Semiconductor procurement vice president who joined Nvidia late last year, also attended. Nvidia has not confirmed her title; her LinkedIn profile lists her as vice president of business.
Beyond the Taiwan strategy, Huang signaled Nvidia's technology direction. Regarding quantum computing, he said the technology has achieved a breakthrough in the development of logical error-corrected qubits. He predicted quantum computers will begin solving practical problems within the next few years, particularly in digital biology and materials science. The technology will not replace traditional processors and will require accelerated computing, he added.
On one topic, Huang's signal was denial. Asked about Reuters reports that China's Ministry of Commerce approved four Chinese companies to purchase 400,000 H200 chips, Huang said Nvidia has received neither a formal notification nor any orders. The companies named were DeepSeek, Alibaba (阿里巴巴), ByteDance (字節跳動), and Tencent (騰訊). The reported approval would test U.S. export restrictions on advanced AI chips to China.
The floral shirt revealed a celebration. The announcements revealed a strategy. What Huang did not reveal: whether 2,000 employees would receive bonuses matching last year's US$10,000 (around NT$313,500) per person. At an Nvidia banquet, even silence sends a message — if you know how to read it. ◼ (At time of reporting, US$1 equals approximately NT$31.35)