New Taipei City election dispute over AI talent policy

A political dispute has emerged in New Taipei City regarding a policy proposal by KMT mayoral candidate Li Szechuan. Li previously suggested creating an AI high-tech industry corridor to facilitate connections between New Taipei City and major tech hubs, including the goal of helping local talent reach companies like NVIDIA.

During a council session, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislator Li Yu-dian criticized this stance, questioning whether sending New Taipei talent to work near NVIDIA constitutes “selling people” or “human trafficking,” drawing comparisons to human trafficking incidents in Cambodia. Li Yu-dian argued that such rhetoric diminishes the value of New Taipei City's own local talent.

Li Szechuan responded by questioning whether working at NVIDIA should be categorized as human trafficking and challenged whether legislator Su Chiao-hui shared this view. He clarified that his policy aims to use transportation infrastructure, such as the Lushe Bridge, to link regional industries and provide young people with opportunities to enter the international high-tech sector. Taipei City Councilor Hou Han-ting also criticized the DPP legislator's logic, arguing that improving transportation for workers should not be equated to illegal activities.