MOU between UK and Taiwan will train literary translators
MOU between UK and Taiwan will train literary translators
2026-09-10
The UK is around 10,000 kilometers from Taiwan, but a variety of Taiwanese books can be found at the Book Hive, an independent bookshop in Norwich. And now the Culture Ministry is seeking to increase the international presence of literature from Taiwan by establishing an MOU between the National Museum of Taiwan Literature and the UK’s National Centre for Writing, who’ll train a young generation of translators.
- This is Terao Tetsuya, who’s part of the youngest generation of Taiwanese writers.
Culture Minister Li Yuan is in the Book Hive, one of the most famous independent bookstores in Norwich, England. There’s more than a few books by Taiwanese writers on display, such as the Taiwan Travelogue by Yang Shuang-zi and Wu Ming-yi’s The Stolen Bicycle. Showing off his wry sense of humor, Minister Li pointed out that the store was missing one Taiwanese writer.
- I’m just wondering why is it that my book can’t be in this shop?
- Oh, no, you’ll have to ask the translators about that. We just sell what we get.
- In all honesty, it’s hard to get your work into a bookstore in the UK.
This bit of chit-chat between Li Yuan and the bookseller reveals the importance of translation, especially in places like the UK, where competition is fierce; Taiwanese works are greatly outnumbered by books written by Japanese and Korean authors.
Henry Layte
Bookstore owner
Taiwanese culture is lesser known than, you know, Japan, so it’s unparticular with books like this suddenly becoming successful. It means there’s lots of interest from us.
The Taiwan Travelogue has helped the world’s readers become more interested in Taiwan’s literature. The Ministry of Culture is trying to capitalize on this attention by getting the National Museum of Taiwan Literature and the UK’s National Centre for Writing to sign an MOU that will train up-and-coming literary translators.
Alan Waters
Chair of National Centre for Writing
The National Centre for Writing wants to celebrate Taiwanese literature for this year’s International Booker Prize success. We are thrilled as an organization to continue the partnership with Taiwan for the 2026-2027 mentorship for emerging translators.
Li Yuan
Minister of Culture
I hope that there can be more collaboration that’ll allow for our works written in Chinese to be able to come to the UK, where they’ll introduce the stories of Taiwan.
Lin Yung-chi
FTV reporter
For decades, the UK’s National Centre for Writing has invested in training writers and translators. The goal of this bilateral agreement between Taiwan and the UK is to help more people get to know literature from Taiwan.
The National Centre for Writing, for the first time, has created a section called Literature from Taiwan, which will provide mentorship and allow learners to interact with professionals. Literature from Taiwan will cultivate translators from any part of the world who want to get involved in translating Taiwan literature, which, if they’re fast enough, they might just see their work at next spring’s Taiwan Literature Festival.
For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53
#BookerPrize #literature #Norwich #independentbookseller #LiteraturefromTaiwan #NationalCentreforWriting
李遠首訪英國文學之城 宣布明年舉辦"台灣文學節"
2026-09-10
文化部長李遠首度訪英，來到英國首座文學之城"諾里奇"，不只參訪當地的知名獨立書店，還見證台文館與英國國家寫作中心，簽署合作計劃，未來要共同培育新一代翻譯家，英國國家寫作中心更宣布明年要舉辦台灣文學節，讓更多台灣作家被世界看見。
- 這是在臺灣最年輕一代的作家，寺尾哲也
來到世界文學之城英國諾里奇的知名獨立書店，文化部長李遠認真介紹，店裡擺放的台灣作家書籍，包括楊双子的臺灣漫遊錄、吳明益的單車失竊記，讓同樣也是作家的李遠，不開心!!
- 我想我的書怎麼沒辦法放在這裡？
- Oh no，你的書需要先被翻譯，我也只能賣我們找得到的
- 其實在英國要打進來真的很難
幽默對談，顯現出翻譯的重要性，但外國書籍想打進英國市場並不容易，相較於日本、韓國，台灣作品仍相對少見。
[[英國獨立書店Henry Layte]]
“台灣文化相較於日本等還是比較陌生，但像（台灣漫遊錄）這樣的書獲獎，也讓我們對台灣文學產生更多興趣，也更有機會引進相關作品”
台灣漫遊錄讓更多人開始好奇台灣作品，文化部趁勝追擊，由國立台灣文學館與英國國家寫作中心，簽署合作備忘錄，共同推動新銳譯者導師培訓計畫。
[[英國國家寫作中心董事會主席 沃特斯]]
“英國國家寫作中心早在，今年國際布克獎肯定台灣漫遊錄前，已開始推廣台灣文學，如今很高興能持續與台灣合作，在2026到2027年培育新銳譯者”
[[文化部長 李遠]]
“我希望有更多合作，可以讓我們的中文書籍，可以來到英國介紹我們台灣的故事”
[[民視記者 林詠琪]]
“英國國家寫作中心，長期投入作家跟翻譯家的培育，這回透過雙邊合作，希望讓更多人可以認識臺灣文學”
英國國家寫作中心，首度增設Literature from Taiwan組別，透過導師培訓與專業交流，培育來自世界各地，想投入台灣文學翻譯的新一代人才，甚至還要在明年春天舉辦台灣文學節。
更多新聞內容，請鎖定：
民視台灣台（152頻道）週一至週五晚上9:30
民視新聞台（53頻道）週二至週六凌晨1:00
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