Taiwanese national and Hakka poet Dr. Tseng Kuei-hai was the first Asian to win the International Poetry Award at Ecuador's XIV Festival de Poesía de Guayaquil Ileana Espinel Cedeño. On December 4, the Hakka Affairs Council (HAC) organized a celebration party for Dr. Tseng Kuei-hai at the Hotel Metropolitan Premier Taipei on the occasion of such outstanding international achievement. Hakka Affairs Council (HAC) Minister Yiong Cong-ziin joyfully thanked Dr. Tseng Kuei-hai for letting Taiwan's poetry shine across the globe and remarked that this feat strengthened HAC's confidence in continuing to commission translations of commendable Taiwanese Hakka literature to share its beauty with the world.

Minister Yiong said that HAC has actively sought to translate Taiwanese Hakka literature in recent years, and to celebrate Dr. Tseng Kuei-hai's accolade, HAC will eventually form a taskforce to nominate him for the Nobel Prize.

According to Dr. Tseng Kuei-hai, what he did was only offering a glimpse of Taiwan. "I hope that more Taiwanese will join me so that I don't sit there alone", he said. He hopes the world is able to relish the wonderful works of other co-nationals.

He believes that the reason he won the award was due to the resonance of his work with the Latin American audience. Latin Americans are passionate and won't refrain from expressing their love. They are also keen to explore the meaning of human existence and the reason we're alive, also subjects that Dr. Tseng Kuei-hai touches upon in his works to some extent.

In addition, he has been a constant participant in social movements, such as the Weiwuying Park Movement, something that lends power to his pen. In the same manner, Latin Americans have had to fight against oppression, despotism, and colonialism. "I guess I'm lucky that there's some resemblance between us."

HAC restated that they are dedicated to "translating Hakka literature and promoting it overseas", so that more people get to know the Taiwanese Hakka people. The translation to English and Spanish of Dr. Tseng Kuei-hai's poems are a prime example of this. As the first Asian poet to receive such recognition, this is a momentous occasion for Taiwanese Hakka literature and HAC is proud of its positive reception abroad!