Cao Wenxuan becomes first Chinese writer to receive Anderson award

Cao Wenxuan gives a speech during the awarding ceremony of the Hans Christian Andersen Award in Auckland, New Zealand, Aug 20, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

The host of the event, New Zealand TV presenter Miriama Kamo pointed out a coincidence that Margaret Mahy, a New Zealander writer received here Anderson Award a decade ago in China while a Chinese writer receives one for the first time in New Zealand.

Chinese writers have been involved with Anderson Award decades ago when another writer Jin Bo was nominated for the prize in 1992. A few others have been nominated afterwards, but none has won the prize.

Zhang Xiaonan, chief editor of China's leading publication group of children's literature recalled that insufficient application materials were to blame at the time.

IBBY president Wally De Doncker lauded efforts by Zhang and her China Children's Press and Publication Group, which launched special program to promote better translation and overseas publishing of Chinese authors' works.

Cao, one of the best of his peers in China, sailed with wind and anchored his merit in history with a strong belief that the best authors and their works in China can speak for the best literature in today's world.

"As a matter of fact, we have been there for some 15 years," he told the press after receiving the award. "The world had just not realized it then."