Taipei World Trade Center

Taipei World Trade Center 台北世界貿易中心
Aerial bridge that connects Taipei World Trade Center and Taipei 101 Shopping Mall
General information
Town or city	Xinyi District, Taipei
Country	Taiwan (ROC)
Construction started	16 October 1982
Inaugurated	31 December 1985
Client	Taiwan External Trade Development Council
Design and construction
Architect	Haigo T. H. Shen, Tange Associates

The Taipei World Trade Center (TWTC; Chinese: 台北世界貿易中心; pinyin: Táiběi Shìjiè Màoyì Zhōngxīn) was started in January 1986 by Taiwan's foremost trade promotion organization, the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), to provide a single, modern venue that would combine exhibition space, conference facilities, offices, and hotel accommodation for international business. TWTC combines every possible service that brings together a vast consulting service on trade-related issues, trading partners, suppliers, and markets.

This four-in-one complex, located in the city's Xinyi District, is designed to accommodate the needs of the international business community, which is why there is not just one, but four structures at the TWTC. The Exhibition Hall, International Convention Center, International Trade Building and Grand Hyatt Taipei, all comprise one integrated business complex.

The current Taipei World Trade Center only saw completion in 1985 following many drawbacks in construction and development. However, the history of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) began on July 1, 1970, where in an effort by the Republic of China Government to further develop international trade activities following accelerated economic growth in the 1970s.

Initially, TAITRA did not have a specialized exhibition hall to accommodate the exhibitions of export goods. As a result of the lack of facilities, in March 1974, the Taipei Grand Hotel was chosen for the first ever Taipei Trade Shows - "Taiwan Export Clothings Exhibition". Subsequently, the necessity of a new exhibition hall allowed for the establishment of the TAITRA exhibition hall set up at Taipei Songshan Airport. Yet shortly afterwards due to Taiwan's rapid economic growth as one of the Four Asian Tigers, TAITRA again found itself having to facilitate even larger scale exhibitions.