Taipei: President Lai Ching-te 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 emphasized that Taiwan's economic achievements should be accompanied by cultural growth.
According to Focus Taiwan, Lai highlighted that while an economy makes a country strong, culture makes a country great. He stressed that technology helps Taiwan move faster, while culture helps Taiwan go further. By framing culture as the essential soul of a democratic society, he pointed out that 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 stated that the government would concentrate on four key areas: nurturing younger generations, strengthening local cultural identity, promoting innovation that balances technology with human dignity, and enhancing the world's understanding of Taiwan.
He mentioned that the Culture Point program for individuals aged 13-22 has become a regular initiative, with ongoing government support for youth-oriented performances, arts programs in schools, and the establishment of the National Children's Future Museum. Addressing challenges posed by artificial intelligence, Lai revealed plans to enhance protections for creators' rights and to establish support mechanisms helping cultural workers adapt to the AI era.
Moreover, Lai committed to promoting the multilingual distribution of Taiwanese works, expanding international co-productions, and building partnerships with the telecommunications, financial, and content production sectors to boost Taiwan's cultural influence. Culture Minister Li Yuan credited policies introduced by his predecessors with laying the foundation for Taiwan's cultural development over the past decade.
Li acknowledged that without these efforts, there would be no National Museum of Modern Art Tainan, and Taiwanese literature would not have gained international recognition through author Yang Shuang-zi and translator Lin King, whose "Taiwan Travelogue" won the International Booker Prize in May. Li concluded by affirming the ministry's commitment to raising culture's share of the national budget to 1 percent.