The Taipei World Trade Center (TWTC; Chinese: 臺北世界貿易中心; pinyin: Táiběi Shìjiè Màoyì Zhōngxīn) was inaugurated 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.
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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, TWTC 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 1 July 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.
Architects and engineers selections were conducted through international design competitions. Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum (HOK), and William Tao & Associates, both from St. Louis, Missouri, and T.Y. Lin & Associates from San Francisco, USA, were selected to perform master plans, conceptual and schematic designs in 1982. Detailed designs were completed by Haigo Shen & Associates in Taipei, Taiwan. General Consultants and Construction Managers included Bechtel from USA, Sinotech Engineering and CTCI, both from Taipei, Taiwan.
On 31 December 1985, the Taipei World Trade Center had its inaugural exhibition for IT Month, which coincided with the opening of the Exhibition Hall. Following suit, the International Tourist Hotel (completed in 1987, renamed the Grand Hyatt Taipei), the International Trade Building (completed in 1988) and International Convention Center (completed in 1989, now as TICC) were opened for use. From January 1, 1986, the Exhibition Hall and TICC has been managed by TAITRA under the commission of the Ministry of Economic Affairs to this day. Hence from 8 January 1990, the Taipei World Trade Center exists in its present form as an all-purpose four-in-one complex.