Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation (TAEF), National Culture and Arts Foundation (NCAF), and National Cheng Kung University Center for Vietnam Studies (NCKU-CVS) joined forces to sign two four-party Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Cultural Studies (VASS-ICS) and Vietnam Writers' Association (VWA) on October 21 and October 23. These MOUs aim to promote deep exchanges and cooperation between Taiwan and Vietnam in the fields of culture, arts, and literature, symbolizing the flourishing of cultural ties between the two countries.
October 21: Signing of MOU with VASS-ICS🇻🇳
On October 21, Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation, National Culture and Arts Foundation , Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of Cultural Studies, and National Cheng Kung University Center for Vietnam Studies signed an MOU, officially launching a cultural and arts exchange program between Taiwan and Vietnam.
The MOU signing was facilitated by TAEF Chairman Hsin-Huang Michael Hsiao, NCAF Chairman Chi-yang Lin, VASS-ICS Director Nguyen Thi Phuong Cham, and NCKU-CVS Director Wi-Vun Chiung.
VASS-ICS Director Nguyen Thi Phuong Cham expressed her delight at this collaboration, noting that VASS-ICS has had a longstanding partnership with NCKU-CVS. She is honored to extend this cooperation to include TAEF and NCAF, and believes that this will have a profound impact on the mutual benefits of Taiwan and Vietnam’s cultural policy research. As Taiwan’s first think tank focused on the New Southbound Policy, TAEF hopes to continue promoting cultural policy research between Taiwan and Vietnam. The National Culture and Arts Foundation, as a key agency supporting arts development in Taiwan, has nurtured many artists and has been dedicated to promoting international exchanges. Although NCAF Chairman Chi-yang Lin could not attend the signing ceremony, he expressed his strong support for this collaboration.
Established in 1953, VASS-ICS has been dedicated to research in the fields of Vietnamese history, society, humanities, geography, and literature. It has maintained close collaborations with top international research institutions, including the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and Taiwan's Academia Sinica, actively participating in international academic activities and cooperative research.
October 23: Signing of MOU with VWA🇻🇳
On October 23, the Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation, National Culture and Arts Foundation, Vietnam Writers' Association, and National Cheng Kung University Center for Vietnam Studies officially signed a four-party MOU to jointly promote cultural and literary exchanges and cooperation between Taiwan and Vietnam.
The signing ceremony was attended by TAEF Chairman Hsin-huang Michael Hsiao, NCAF Chairman Chi-yang Lin, VWA Director Nguyen Quang Thieu, and NCKU-CVS Director Wi-Vun Chiung. The ceremony was witnessed by Ambassador Shi Rui-chi from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vietnam, marking a significant moment in Taiwan-Vietnam cultural exchanges.
VWA Director Nguyen Quang Thieu remarked that the signing of the MOU represents the importance both sides place on cultural exchange, and through literature, the people of Taiwan and Vietnam will gain a better understanding of each other’s cultures. TAEF Hsin-huang Michael Hsiao also commented that while today’s signing is a small step in the four-party cooperation, it is a giant leap in Taiwan-Vietnam exchanges. NCKU-CVS Director Wi-Vun Chiung, who has been instrumental in fostering this collaboration, has worked with the VWA for over a decade, co-translating and publishing numerous literary works from both Taiwan and Vietnam. He hopes that the two sides will continue to gain a deeper understanding of each other's cultures. Ambassador Shi Rui-chi also conveyed that in the past, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Vietnam has successfully organized many cultural activities and hopes to continue serving as a platform and bridge for Taiwan-Vietnam exchanges and cooperation.
Established in 1957, the Vietnam Writers' Association is an official organization dedicated to promoting the development of Vietnamese literature. In past collaborations, the VWA and TAEF jointly organized the "First Taiwan Poets' Festival," which attracted over a hundred poets, writers, and students from Vietnam and Taiwan, demonstrating the deep literary ties between the two sides and laying a solid foundation for future cooperation.
Continuing Efforts with the "Asia Engagement Consortium (AEC)"
These collaborations further strengthen the cooperative relationship among TAEF, NCAF, and NCKU-CVS within the "Asia Engagement Consortium (AEC)." Through resource sharing within the consortium, the three parties will continue to promote cultural exchanges and cooperation between Taiwan and Southeast Asia, South Asia, and New Southbound Policy partner countries. These two MOUs not only deepen cultural cooperation between Taiwan and Vietnam but also position literature and the arts as key bridges to fostering multi-layered international cultural interactions, allowing Taiwan’s cultural ties under the New Southbound Policy to flourish.