Lai Congratulates 'Taiwan Travelogue' Author, Pledges To Support Literature
President Lai Ching-te sampled dishes from the Booker Prize-winning novel "Taiwan Travelogue" as he congratulated author Yang Shuang-zi and translator Lin King. Lai said that translating Taiwanese stories is a type of cultural diplomacy and that the government would support more authors, translators and publishers to enter international competitions.
Taiwan Literature Goes Global
REPORTER:
President Lai Ching-te wants more Taiwanese authors to share their stories with the world, following the success of the 2026 International Booker Prize-winning novel “Taiwan Travelogue.”
Lai Ching-te (TAIWAN PRESIDENT):
We must build a national team
for international translation and publishing
and continue to strengthen literary exchange
and cultural diplomacy.
We hope that Taiwan’s literature and culture
can become an irreplaceable force
on the international stage
just like the semiconductor industry.
REPORTER:
The international success of Yang Shuang-zi's story-within-a-story brought Taiwan’s culinary and colonial history to audiences around the world. Over a meal of local dishes mentioned in the book, Lai praised the talents of Yang and English translator Lin King, and thanked them for mentioning Taiwan’s freedom of expression in their award acceptance speeches earlier this year. He said the government would support more writers and translators in entering international competitions.
