• 2012-12-28

In conjunction with government policy to promote Chinese studies and Chinese culture, National Central Library continues to actively promote Chinese studies and engage in cultural diplomacy. After establishing a Taiwan Chinese Studies Resource Center at the University of Texas Austin in November of this year, a month later on December 24 NCL successfully set up a Chinese Cabinet at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ (RAS) Institute of Oriental Studies. This act will greatly increase Russian sinologists’ and library Caption: RAS Institute of Oriental Studies director Vitaly Naumkin (L) and Taiwan representativeto Russia Jack Chen (R) patrons’ understanding of Chinese studies in Taiwan. It also increases Taiwan’s visibility and cultural image in Russia. The director of the institute Vitaly Naumkin (who is also a member of the advisory Scientific Council under the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia) and Taiwan's representative to Russia Jack Chen both attended the ceremony to witness this historic moment. NCL has established close cultural ties and a cooperative relationship with Russia. In December 2010, Russian State Library’s (RSL) director-general and Russian State Children’s Library’s director visited NCL, during which a cooperative agreement was signed between NCL and RSL. NCL’s director-general led a team to tour many important libraries and research institutes in Russia in 2011. During the trip, a formal cooperative agreement was signed with the RAS Institute of Oriental Studies, which served as a basis for the establishment of the Chinese Cabinet. In early 2012, NCL donated 550 books to the institute as a continuation of culture exchange. In addition, it either continued or established book exchange relationships with many libraries in Russia. Even though the Chinese Cabinet is already established, NCL will continue to add to the collection there, providing more books on Taiwan and Chinese studies.