Lai outlines 4 priorities for Taiwan's cultural future at congress

Taipei, Sept. 20 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Sunday outlined four priorities for Taiwan's cultural future, pledging continued government support to strengthen local identity, foster innovation and expand Taiwan's global cultural presence.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 2026 National Cultural Congress in Taipei, Lai said Taiwan's economic achievements should be accompanied by cultural growth.

"An economy makes a country strong, but culture makes a country great," Lai said. "Technology helps Taiwan move faster, while culture helps Taiwan go further."

Framing culture as the essential soul of a democratic society, he said cultural diversity and creative freedom allow people to bridge differences and strengthen Taiwan's democratic resilience.

Held every four years, this year's congress is themed "Future Tense" and is aimed at shaping Taiwan's cultural vision through 2030.

Lai said the government would focus on four areas: nurturing younger generations, strengthening local cultural identity, promoting innovation that balances technology with human dignity, and helping the world better understand Taiwan.

He said the Culture Point program for people aged 13-22 has become a regular initiative, while the government continues to support youth-oriented performances, arts programs in schools and the construction of the National Children's Future Museum.

Facing challenges brought by artificial intelligence, Lai said the government would enhance protections for creators' rights and establish support mechanisms to help cultural workers adapt to the AI era.

He also pledged to promote multilingual distribution of Taiwanese works, expand international co-productions, and build partnerships with the telecommunications, financial and content production sectors to boost Taiwan's cultural influence.

Culture Minister Li Yuan (李遠) credited policies introduced by his predecessors -- Cheng Li-chiun (鄭麗君), now vice premier, Lee Yung-te (李永得) and Shih Che (史哲) -- with laying the foundation for Taiwan's cultural development over the past decade.

Without those efforts, Li said, there would be no National Museum of Modern Art Tainan, and Taiwanese literature would not have achieved international recognition through author Yang Shuang-zi (楊双子) and translator Lin King (金翎), whose "Taiwan Travelogue" won the International Booker Prize in May.

Li said the ministry remains committed to raising culture's share of the national budget to 1 percent.