TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The 2026 Taipei International Book Exhibition (TIBE, 台北國際書展) opened Tuesday (Feb. 3) at the Taipei World Trade Center, Hall 1 (台北世貿中心一館). President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) attended the opening ceremony for the event, which runs through Sunday (Feb. 8) and features Thailand as this year's theme country. Minister of Culture Li Yuan (李遠), Taipei Book Fair Foundation Chairman Rex HOW (郝明義), and Thailand's Representative Narong Boonsatheanwong (文那隆) also attended.
Thailand, this year's theme country, showcased its cultural heritage with a performance by the Thai-play Group, known for blending traditional and contemporary expressions. President Lai praised the Thai ensemble's performance, reflecting on the importance of peace and emphasizing the positive impact of reading on the cultural industry. During the opening ceremony, President Lai and Minister Li presented the Golden Butterfly Awards and Book Exhibition Awards, demonstrating their commitment to supporting original publishing in Taiwan.
Chairman HOW noted that TIBE serves as a meeting place for Taiwanese audiences to connect with the world and for international publishing houses to gather. "The book fair is always important, but especially at this time, because it's, you know, it's a time of everything's changing," HOW said during the ceremony. "The AI is changing the concepts and usage of knowledge, and changing situation of the political world, of the international politics," he added, highlighting the exhibition's relevance.
Thailand's Representative Boonsatheanwong reaffirmed the strong friendship between Thailand and Taiwan, hoping the book fair would enhance cultural exchanges between the two nations. Publisher and Booksellers Association of Thailand (PUBAT, 泰國出版暨書商協會) President Nattakorn Vuttichaipornkul (納塔恭) expressed gratitude to TIBE. "We think it's a great way to promote Thai culture, and I think this is one of the biggest book fair in Southeast Asia," he stated.
The Swedish Trade and Invest Council (瑞典駐臺辦事處) also participated, establishing a Swedish pavilion to showcase children's and young adult literature. Agneta from the Swedish pavilion noted the challenge of fostering reading habits in the AI era, where fragmented screen time replaces comprehensive reading among young people. She emphasized that cultivating a love for reading should start at home, not just in schools, as part of efforts to strengthen cultural and publishing industry links.
The Taipei International Book Exhibition continues to serve as a vital hub for cultural exchange and publishing innovation, bringing together publishers from around the world. The event promises enriched global literary dialogue and remains one of the largest book fairs in Asia, attracting international participation annually. TIBE runs through Sunday (Feb. 8) at the Taipei World Trade Center, Hall 1 (台北世貿中心一館). ◼