The Xinyi District (meaning "honesty") is the seat of the Taipei mayor's office and the Taipei City Government. Key buildings including Taipei 101, Taipei City Council, Taipei International Convention Center, Taipei World Trade Center, and various shopping malls and entertainment venues make Xinyi the most modern cosmopolitan district of Taipei. Xinyi District is also considered the financial district of Taipei. The National Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall is also located in the district.

Until recently, most of the district consisted of wetlands, which explains the abundance of space for construction projects since it was one of the last areas in Taipei to be developed.

The district is arguably the premier shopping area in Taipei, if not all of Taiwan. Xinyi District is anchored by a number of department stores and malls. In addition, numerous restaurants are located in the area, especially American chain restaurants.

During Japanese rule in 1920, Songshan Village, the first of many villages which would eventually make up the district, was established. In 1938, the village was incorporated into Taipei City. By 1980, the district had become the most populous in the city. Xinyi was carved out of the southern half of the Songshan District in 1990 during a reorganization of Taipei's districts.