The Minister of Culture of the Republic of China (Taiwan), Li Yuan, visited Europe and on the 8th, hosted the 28th Taiwan-France Cultural Awards ceremony at the French Academy in Paris. Despite continuous protests from the Chinese Communist Party in the background, Li Yuan was aware of it beforehand and respected the decision of the French Academy of Humanities and Political Sciences, stating, “France supports us, and no changes were made, which also represents the friendship between Taiwan and France.”
The “28th Taiwan-France Cultural Awards Ceremony,” jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of China and the French Academy of Humanities and Political Sciences, was held on the evening of the 8th at the Auditorium of the Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques in the highest academic hall of France, the French Academy.
The Ministry of Culture of the Republic of China announced in a press release that the awardees for this edition are Jean-Marc Thérouanne, co-founder and artistic director of the Festival International des Cinémas d’Asie de Vesoul (FICA) in France, and Bocheng Tsai, artistic director of B.DANCE production team.
Minister of Culture of the Republic of China, Li Yuan, Jean-Robert Pitte, the annual chairman of the French Academy of Humanities and Political Sciences, and Bernard Stirn, the lifelong secretary, jointly presented this historically significant award.
Li Yuan expressed his gratitude to all friends dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between Taiwan and Europe during his first appearance as Minister of Culture at the prestigious academic hall of the French Academy, emphasizing that it was an extremely honorable moment for him. He stated, “Culture and the arts serve as bridges between people and as the power of understanding and connecting across different cultures.”
Li Yuan pointed out that the Taiwan-France Cultural Awards, established in 1996, have for 29 years exemplified the commitment of the French Academy to create spaces for humanistic and scientific speculation and the mission of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of China to uphold cultural heritage and promote international dialogue. Over the years, 52 laureates in fields such as film, literature, performing arts, and academic research have facilitated deep dialogue and understanding between Taiwan and Europe.
According to reports by the Central News Agency, Li Yuan, during a media interview in France, stated that he was aware of all the circumstances. His participation in the Taiwan-France Cultural Awards in Paris might have involved media groups and parliamentarians. He mentioned being notified early in the day that the Chinese Communist Party had protested, and although the extent of the protest was unclear to him, it might affect all activities during the visit.
Li Yuan noted that everything proceeded smoothly after the evaluation process for the Taiwan-France Cultural Awards, and communication with several academicians led to the confirmation of continued cooperation for this year. He conveyed that the French Academy’s response was normal, without any intention to yield, and the event indeed concluded successfully.
Furthermore, on the 9th, there was a situation where a scheduled visit to the Grand Palais in the morning was canceled when Didier Fusiller, the current chairman of the Grand Palais and former chairman of the Parc de La Villette in Paris who facilitated the Cultural Olympics Taiwan Pavilion, had urgent matters to attend to after meeting with the Taiwan delegation.
Li Yuan mentioned that upon learning that the Grand Palais had already hosted the Taiwan delegation, the Chinese group directly canceled their visit to the Grand Palais in protest. Over time, France has perceived the threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party, leading to robust support for Taiwan. He noted, “France genuinely understands our situation and has chosen to support Taiwan in this incident.”
Hu Qingfang, director of the Taiwan Cultural Center at the Taipei Representative Office in France also known as the “Bavarian Center,” having served for four years, stated that protests by Chinese groups were a regular occurrence at the center. She emphasized, “We stand at the forefront of the nation’s external relations and are well aware of Taiwan’s situation. We are a powerful country, and everyone should not underestimate us.”