Taiwan-Vietnam Literary Exchange Strengthens Ties Amidst Political Pressure

As Taiwan marked Taiwanese Poetry Day on March 14th, a key figure in Taiwan-Vietnam literary exchanges emphasized the importance of “people-to-people diplomacy” in fostering mutual understanding. This initiative gains significance as official exchanges face ongoing pressure from China.

Commemorating Ong Iok-lim Through Poetry and Dialogue

This year’s event, held at National Cheng Kung University (NCKU) in Tainan, commemorated Ong Iok-lim (王育霖), a Tainan-born poet and prosecutor who was tragically killed during the February 28 Incident of 1947. The gathering brought together over a dozen Taiwanese writers and five Vietnamese scholars for discussions on Taiwan’s history and culture, featuring poetry readings in Taiwanese Hokkien and Vietnamese.

The Role of Non-Governmental Diplomacy

Chiung Wi-vun, director of the Center for Vietnamese Studies at NCKU, highlighted the necessity of non-governmental diplomacy. He explained that such interactions allow for more open dialogue about Taiwan, circumventing the constraints often imposed on official exchanges by China. As reported by the Taipei Times, Ong Iok-tek, a related figure, was a spiritual leader and forerunner of the Taiwanese independence movement in Japan.

A History of Cultural Exchange

The Association for Taiwanese and Vietnamese Cultural Exchange was established in 2009 by Chiung, recognizing a gap in cultural engagement between the two nations. Prior exchanges had largely focused on trade. Since its inception, the association has facilitated visits, seminars, and workshops for writers, scholars, and students. Taiwanese works have been translated into Vietnamese, and modern Vietnamese literature has been rendered into Mandarin and Taiwanese Hokkien.

Vietnamese Recognition and Shared Histories

These exchanges have garnered attention in Vietnam. Poet Trần Đăng Khoa has written about his experiences in Taiwan, broadening Vietnamese awareness of the island. As noted on Reddit, Ong Iok-lim was a victim of the White Terror period in Taiwan, alongside his brother Ong Iok-tek.

Kiều Bích Hậu, from the Vietnam Writers’ Association, found resonance between Taiwan’s White Terror period – a time of political repression from 1949 to 1992 – and Vietnam’s own colonial history. Inspired by the story of Lin Tsung-yuan, a poet who continued to write in Taiwanese Hokkien despite restrictions, Kiều wrote a poem titled “White Terror” as a tribute.

Kiều Bích Hậu shared that her understanding of Taiwan evolved from viewing it as merely a travel destination to recognizing its rich history and the pursuit of democracy and freedom by its people, thanks to these literary exchanges.