Cambodian-Australian choreographer granted Taiwan plum blossom card

柬埔寨-澳大利亞舞蹈編導獲頒台灣梅花卡

Zhang Xiao-xiong has taught dance at Taipei National University of the Arts for 26 years


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A Cambodian-Australian dance choreographer and professor at the Taipei National University of the Arts (TNUA) has been awarded a Plum Blossom Card by the National Immigration Agency (NIA).

In a press release issued on Monday (Jan. 9), the NIA said it had issued a Plum Blossom Card, a permanent residence permit for foreigners who have made special contributions to Taiwan, to dancer and choreographer Zhang Xiao-xiong (張曉雄). The NIA said Zhang has been teaching at the TNUA Department of Dance for 26 years and is a "high-level professional talent needed by Taiwan."

He was cited by the NIA as saying that he has been cultivating himself for many years in Taiwan, and he has benefited a great deal from teaching and learning from students. He emphasized that he is "very happy to be able to contribute to this land."

The agency pointed out that Zhang has been deeply involved in cultural and art-related work for many years. He has not only been recognized for his outstanding achievements in the field of dance but has also written a number of books and acted in the Chang Tso-chi (張作驥) movie "Synapses" (那個我最親愛的陌生人), which won the Best Film Award at the 2021 Asian Film Festival in Rome, Italy.

Zhang was born in Cambodia when the country was at war and later immigrated to Australia to study dance. He said that he has experienced war, illness, joys, and sorrows, but none of these ups and downs made him give up his pursuit of dance.

He said that he had chosen the "soil of Taiwan's freedom and democracy" as a place to contribute his lifelong talents and knowledge, "creating artistic achievements that constantly surpass oneself." In the future, Zhang said he plans to live in Taiwan for a long time and continue to "contribute and shine" in the field of art.