In London, culture minister highlights Taiwan's literary reach

London, Sept. 8 (CNA) Taiwan Culture Minister Li Yuan (李遠) highlighted the growing international visibility of Taiwanese literature at a forum in London on Monday at which the International Booker Prize-winning "Taiwan Travelogue" was highlighted.

Speaking at the "Taiwanese Literature Through a Global Gaze" forum at King's College London, Li said that as a writer born after World War II, he has long asked himself, "What is Taiwan?"

He said Taiwanese writers have explored that question from increasingly diverse perspectives, including ecology, history, Indigenous identity, queer literature and local communities.

The international recognition of "Taiwan Travelogue," a work by Yang Shuang-zi (楊双子) that won the 2026 International Booker Prize, has given Taiwanese literature a particularly important opportunity, Li said.

"This is a very good time. The world can finally see Taiwan," he said.

Natasha Brown, chair of the 2026 International Booker Prize judging panel, said the judges read about 130 translated works from around the world. When she read "Taiwan Travelogue," she said she felt the book "was going to win."

Brown said the novel's appeal lay not only in the writing but also in the translation, which made unfamiliar cultural references accessible to and engaging for English-language readers.

Li also reflected on the complexities surrounding Taiwanese identity.

"If I say I am Taiwanese, someone might tell me Taiwan is not a country," he said, noting that such tensions were among the issues he hoped literature and dialogue could help address.

The forum drew more than 100 people and also featured Irish poet and critic John McAuliffe and Anna Goode, managing director of the British Centre for Literary Translation.

During his London visit on Monday, Li also toured the Victoria and Albert Museum's V&A East Storehouse, which opened to the public in May 2025 and allows visitors greater access to the museum's collections.

Li called the approach "a revolution in museums," saying it offered ideas for Taiwan as it considers a joint storage facility for cultural collections.

The minister began his visit to Europe on Sunday. In addition to the United Kingdom, Li will also visit France before departing on Sept. 15 and returning to Taiwan the following day, according to the Ministry of Culture.