At the 37th National Cultural Award ceremony on Thursday, Premier Lai Ching-te pledged to provide government funding and regulatory and policy support to promote Taiwan culture, encourage the industry's growth, and retain cultural workers in Taiwan. President Tsai Ing-wen also attaches great importance to culture and has declared culture to be "the soul of the nation," he added.
Established by the Executive Yuan in 1981, the National Cultural Award has since been conferred on 81 individuals, each honored for a lifetime of exceptional achievements and whose works reflect an abiding affection for Taiwan together with the values of Taiwanese culture. The premier presented this year's award to filmmaker Wu Nien-jen and artist Hsieh Li-fa, expressing his highest respect and admiration for their longstanding contributions to Taiwan culture.