A new milestone in literary exchanges between Taiwan and England: the Taiwanese Library and the British National Writing Center signed an MOU

Yang Tingyu (from left), leader of the cultural section of the Ministry of Culture’s Representative Office in the UK, represented the Taiwanese Cultural Center and signed an MOU with NCW CEO Paula Sanchez in the presence of Minister of Culture Li Yuan. (Photo by reporter Ling Meixue)

Minister of Culture Li Yuan has been visiting the UK since the 6th. In addition to learning from the open warehouses of the Barbican Art Center and V&A in London, the focus of the itinerary also includes literary exchanges. Following the symposium held at King's College London on the evening of the 7th, I made a special trip to Norwich, England's first UNESCO campus, on the 8th to sign an "Emerging Translator Mentorships Program" with the National Center for Writing (NCW) in the UK, hoping to deepen literary exchanges between Taiwan and the UK.

Norwich is a UNESCO City of Literature. Many literary creators from all over the world have always written, researched, and taught here, nurturing diverse literary works. For example, the world-famous Canadian writer Margaret Atwood once wrote novels at the local independent bookstore The Book Hive. She and Nobel Prize winner J.M. Coetzee), are important patrons of NCW and often give literary lectures here.

The National Center for Taiwan Literature is cooperating with NCW for the first time this year and will add a "Literature from Taiwan" category to the center's 2026/27 "Instructor Training Program for Emerging Translators" to recruit talents from around the world who are interested in translating Taiwanese literature into English for instructor training and professional exchanges. The cooperation signing ceremony was held in the Dragon Hall, a 600-year-old historical building where NCW is located. Yang Tingyu, leader of the cultural section of the Ministry of Culture's Representative Office in the UK, signed on behalf of the Taiwanese Cultural Center with NCW CEO and Creative Director Paula Sanchez.

Alan Waters, Chairman of the NCW Board of Directors, explained that the "Emerging Translator Mentor Training Program" will consolidate the strong relationship between the UK and Taiwan. (Photo by reporter Ling Meixue)

Li Yuan served as a witness at the signing ceremony and said that Taiwan has had many cooperations with the United Kingdom in the past. This time, it has launched a new cooperation project with the NCW through the Taiwanese Literature Museum. He believes that cooperation will continue to deepen in the future, giving Taiwan the opportunity to introduce more Taiwanese literature to the United Kingdom.

Alan Waters, Chairman of the NCW Board of Directors, pointed out that "the signing of the MOU is consolidating our strong relationship with Taiwan." NCW hosted two Taiwanese literary translators in the village in 2024, and also assisted The Strangers Press to publish and promote five small books of Taiwanese literary works that were partially translated. This time, we continue to establish a partnership with Taiwan through the "Emerging Translator Mentor Training Program" and have received 16 applications, "which is a very high number for this type of program." Alan Waters also predicted that in 2027, he will further establish resident cooperation with Taiwan and organize a Taiwan Literature Festival in the spring to introduce more outstanding Taiwanese writers to Norwich and international readers.