Taiwanese Translator Sues European Publisher Over Unauthorized Retranslation

Taiwanese literature has recently shone brightly on the international stage, breaking new ground in literary history. Yet the growing prominence of cross‑border copyright and translation rights disputes has begun to surface. The long‑form novel *Taiwan Travelogue*, written by Yang Shuangzi and translated into English by Jin Lingying, received high acclaim abroad and even won the International Booker Prize. However, it has now been reported that a foreign publisher has reproduced the translation without permission and commissioned a second translation of the English version. Jin Lingying issued a formal statement on Saturday, accusing a European publisher of secretly engaging another translator to produce a new edition of the book without her authorization or consent. In response to this serious infringement of intellectual property and translation labor rights, Jin Lingying has engaged a lawyer to file a lawsuit against the implicated European publisher and a Taiwanese copyright agency. The case has attracted intense attention from Taiwan’s cultural sector and publishing industry.

The core of the dispute lies in the often‑overlooked issue of “secondary creation” and derivative works in translated literature. According to Jin Lingying’s statement, the European publisher did not translate *Taiwan Travelogue* directly from Yang Shuangzi’s Chinese original. Instead, it bypassed Jin Lingying, the original English translator, and used her English translation as the basis for a third‑party translator to produce a second translation. While such a practice of translating from a translation is not unheard of in international publishing, it clearly violates copyright law if the original translator has not granted explicit permission and a legally binding agreement. Jin Lingying, who has been instrumental in bringing Taiwanese literature to the English‑speaking world, has invested unique creative insight and interpretive style that constitute irreplaceable intellectual property. Unauthorized use of her work not only infringes on her personal rights but also sets a negative precedent for international copyright transactions.

The lawsuit targets not only the directly infringing European publisher but also a Taiwanese copyright agency. This development highlights the role and responsibilities of local agents in the cross‑border copyright chain. In most cases of Taiwanese literary export, a copyright agent mediates the contracts and licensing between the original author, translator, and overseas publisher. Whether an overseas publisher has the right to produce a second translation, whether the translation process must be notified and approved by the original translator, and how the contract is drafted and reviewed are the first line of defense against infringement. By naming the Taiwanese copyright agency as a defendant, the case suggests that the agency may have failed to supervise the licensing agreement, oversee overseas negotiations, or maintain transparency, prompting the domestic publishing community to reexamine the legal risks and obligations of the copyright agency system in international collaboration.

In recent years, the number of Taiwanese literary works translated and exported to Europe, the United States, and Asian markets has risen annually, thanks to vigorous promotion by institutions such as the Taiwan Cultural Content Promotion Institute and the hard work of outstanding translators. The success of *Taiwan Travelogue* is a prime example. However, as Taiwanese works enter the global arena, the accompanying international legal disputes and contractual complexities have grown exponentially. Historically, Taiwan’s publishing industry has focused mainly on author‑publisher rights for Chinese‑language editions, often overlooking the derivative rights and moral rights that translators enjoy in the international market. Jin Lingying’s courageous stand to defend her rights is not only a pursuit of justice for her labor but also a wake‑up call for the entire Taiwanese translation community, underscoring the urgent need to establish robust, binding cross‑border translation agreements amid the wave of globalized publishing.

With Jin Lingying’s lawyer now pursuing legal action, the case’s progress in European courts and Taiwanese judicial or arbitration forums will become a focal point for the international publishing and translation communities. For Taiwanese cultural content producers actively expanding abroad, this lawsuit is a painful but necessary lesson. It reminds all creators, translators, and copyright professionals that while enjoying international acclaim and market expansion, they must scrutinize every cross‑border licensing step for legality and compliance. Only by ensuring that every participant in the cross‑cultural literary exchange has their intellectual property and labor protected by stringent legal safeguards can Taiwanese literature sustain a long‑term, stable path to internationalization. The final judgment or settlement will set a crucial legal precedent for future cases involving similar translation infringements of Taiwanese literary works overseas.