Taipei: Taiwan's National Museum of Taiwan Literature and the United Kingdom's National Centre for Writing have officially signed a memorandum of understanding to train English-language translators specializing in Taiwanese literature. This partnership marks a significant step towards enhancing the global reach of Taiwan's literary works.

According to Focus Taiwan, the agreement introduces a "Literature from Taiwan" track to the National Centre for Writing's Emerging Translator Mentorships, a program that recruits aspiring translators from around the world and offers mentorship and professional development opportunities. Taiwan Culture Minister Li Yuan, who attended the signing ceremony in Norwich, England, expressed optimism that this collaboration would foster a steady stream of translators skilled in introducing Taiwanese literature to British audiences.

Minister Li emphasized the importance of this partnership in opening new pathways for Taiwanese literature in the UK and highlighted the potential for increased cooperation between Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Alan Waters, chair of the National Centre for Writing's board, noted that the center had been promoting Taiwanese literature even before Yang Shuang-zi's "Taiwan Travelogue" gained international acclaim by winning the 2026 International Booker Prize.

Waters reported that the center's 2026-27 program had already attracted 16 applications for the Taiwan literature track, demonstrating a robust interest in this initiative. He also revealed plans to expand the collaboration with Taiwan in 2027 through additional writer and translator residencies and announced a Taiwan literature festival scheduled for next spring.