Taiwan Travelogue Wins International Booker Prize; Premier Cho: Stand in Taiwan, Reach the World

(CNA, Taipei, 20th, by reporter Lai Yu-chen) Following the Taiwanese novel "Taiwan Travelogue" winning the major international literary award, the International Booker Prize, in London, Premier Cho Jung-tai said that the people of Taiwan, through a century of pursuit, have created an increasingly free, healthy, and robust democratic environment. He expressed his wish that all creators can always create freely in this environment, establish themselves in Taiwan, and reach the world. The prestigious event in the English-language literary world, the annual International Booker Prize, was awarded this year to the novel "Taiwan Travelogue," written by Taiwanese author Yang Shuang-tzu and translated into English by Christina Lin. "Taiwan Travelogue" won Taiwan's Golden Tripod Award for literary books in 2021, and in 2024 received the top prize at Japan's Best Translation Award and the U.S. National Book Award for Translated Literature. To date, its rights have been sold in 24 countries, and it has sold over 40,000 copies in Taiwan. On Facebook, Cho Jung-tai stated that "Taiwan Travelogue" is an honor for Taiwanese literature and congratulated Yang Shuang-tzu and Christina Lin for their great work dedicated to Taiwan and to literature. In her acceptance speech, Yang Shuang-tzu mentioned, "It is my good fortune to be born a Taiwanese person; it is my pride to be able to stand here as a Taiwanese writer." Christina Lin said that during Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, she decided to exclusively translate works from Taiwan and would continue to do so until one day, "the sovereignty of my home (Taiwan) is no longer a provocation or a joke in the English-speaking world." Cho Jung-tai said he was deeply moved and impressed by the speeches of Yang Shuang-tzu and Christina Lin. He noted that this year marks the 30th anniversary of Taiwan's first direct presidential election in 1996, a milestone in the people's push for democratization. Today, he said, Taiwanese author Yang Shuang-tzu and translator Christina Lin have become the center of the world. He stated that the century-long pursuit and 30 years of trial and effort by several generations of Taiwanese people have jointly created an increasingly free, healthy, and robust democratic environment. He wished that every creator could always create freely in such an environment, stand firm in Taiwan and move towards the world, and thanked creators for leaving Taiwan's words and voice for both Taiwan and the world. (Editor: Yang Lan-hsuan) 1150520