Bangkok traded traffic and tuk-tuks for teapots and typewriters on Sunday, September 7, when Baan Dusit Thani played host to the launch of a fresh, globe-spanning Chinese novel-writing competition. The event — a collaboration between Singapore’s Lianhe Zaobao and SPH Media — felt less like a press conference and more like a backstage pass to the future of Chinese-language storytelling in Southeast Asia. Writers, publishers and cultural figures from across the region gathered to swap ideas, clap for new voices and, perhaps most importantly, remind everyone that great stories travel faster than planes.
A literary roadshow with regional swagger
Bangkok was only the first stop. After the warm Thai welcome, the competition caravan heads to Penang, Malaysia, then on to the scenic Nusa Island in Indonesia. Over 200 participants of all ages attended the Bangkok launch, signaling a vibrant appetite for Chinese-language literature across generations. The crowd included emerging writers with notebooks full of midnight inspiration, seasoned editors with an eye for marketable gems, and cultural advocates who see literature as the most elegant form of diplomacy.
The initiative drew backing from notable figures including Phinij Jarusombat — former deputy prime minister and current president of the Thai-Chinese Cultural Relationship Council — and senior representatives from China’s cultural and media sectors. Such support underscores the competition’s twin ambitions: to nurture young talent and to foster cultural exchange across countries connected by the Belt and Road Initiative.
From online pages to theme-park thrills
One of the event’s highlights was an in-person discussion with Huwei de Bi, a popular online novelist whose supernatural tale Dao Gui Yi Xian recently caught the eye of Universal Studios Singapore. The novel was selected for the park’s Halloween programme — reportedly the first time an original Chinese intellectual property has been showcased at an international theme park. It’s the kind of crossover every author daydreams about: your words become an attraction, your characters get a crowd, and your plot gets a soundtrack of screams and popcorn crunching.
Sharing the stage with Huwei de Bi was Singaporean author Sui Ting, who offered lively reflections on creativity, cultural storytelling and the art of reaching readers in multiple formats. Their conversation was less academic panel and more friendly masterclass: practical tips for plotting, genuine advice on sustaining a writing career, and an emphatic reminder that storytelling remains the best way to connect communities separated by borders but united by imagination.
Why this competition matters
At first glance, a novel-writing contest might look like another cultural event. But this competition arrives at a strategic moment. By seeking original Chinese-language novels from writers worldwide, it aims to do more than spot the next bestseller. Organisers want to create a platform for literary exchange among countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative, to give young talent a launchpad, and to deepen cross-cultural understanding through fiction. In short: it’s a literary passport program where the only visa required is a compelling opening line.
Over 200 people turning up for the Bangkok launch is a concrete sign that the region is hungry for Chinese-language narratives, whether they come as contemporary family drama, historical epics or eerie ghost stories designed to keep readers up past midnight. The competition’s reach — from established media houses to grassroots writers — gives it the potential to refresh the canon and introduce diverse voices that reflect Southeast Asia’s multilingual reality.
Film festivals, temples and soft power
The literary buzz in Bangkok unfolded alongside other creative maneuvers aimed at repositioning Thailand as a cultural hub. The Pattaya Film Festival 2025 rolled out its red carpet from August 28–30 with screenings, seminars and even a rare temple showing at SF Cinema Central Marina. Organisers pitched the festival as part of Pattaya’s ambition to become a film industry hotspot and to secure the UNESCO Creative City of Film title — a bid that dovetails neatly with Thailand’s broader strategy of using soft power to fuel tourism and economic growth.
As the Bangkok Post noted, these initiatives are about more than beaches and bright lights. City leaders and cultural advocates are betting that festivals, literary competitions and creative partnerships will attract visitors, investors and attention. If framing a city’s identity were a novel, Thailand is now rewriting its opening chapter to include film reels and ink-stained pages.
What to watch next
Keep an eye on Penang and Nusa Island as the competition continues its regional tour. Expect more conversations, surprise readings and the occasional cultural collision that produces something fresh — a new voice, a new collaboration, or simply a renewed love for stories told in Chinese. For writers, publishers and curious readers, this competition isn’t just a contest; it’s a stage where Southeast Asia’s multilingual literary scene can shine.
So whether you’re a reader who loves a well-crafted plot twist, a writer nursing a novel through late nights, or a cultural fan who enjoys watching ideas leap borders — the message is clear: the region’s literary landscape is alive, ambitious and ready to tell its stories to the world.
Really proud to see Chinese-language storytelling getting a regional stage like this, especially in Bangkok. The mix of online novelists and traditional publishers feels like a healthy creative collision. I hope the competition champions diverse Southeast Asian voices, not just mainland narratives.
It smells like soft power to me and I don’t trust events tied to the Belt and Road. Art becomes propaganda when governments steer the agenda. Writers should stay wary of who funds the prizes.
Soft power is a useful lens, but it risks flattening complex cultural exchange into a single narrative. We should evaluate the texts themselves and funding transparency rather than dismiss the forum outright. Regional collaboration can still produce surprising, independent work.
You’re optimistic, Amanda, but funding often comes with expectations. I’ve seen ‘cultural exchange’ used to sanitize critique. Keep an eye on editorial independence.
I hear the concerns about funding, but many grassroots writers here attended on their own steam. Let’s not throw out genuine creative opportunity because of politics.
Cool that a Chinese novel got picked by Universal, but isn’t it worrying when commercial parks turn books into mouthpieces? Theme parks love spectacle, not nuance. Will complex regional stories survive that spin?
As a Malaysian writer I think exposure matters and theme park adaptation can be a gateway. Not every screen adaptation but some bring readers to the book first.
Commercialisation is inevitable but not automatically bad. Plenty of authors want more readers, and adaptations fund future projects. The key is creative control and fair contracts.
Fair point about contracts. I’m mainly worried about whose stories get picked and whether minority perspectives are sidelined for mass appeal.
Seeing Huwei de Bi and Sui Ting on stage felt like a masterclass you actually wanted to attend. The energy between online fiction and mainstream publishing is intoxicating. This could kickstart a new Southeast Asian Chinese literary scene.
As a fan I’m thrilled, but I also fear mainstream attention will pressure authors to churn formulaic hits. Please, no more recycled ghost stories with cheap scares.
Honestly, the Universal tie is huge and legitimises Chinese IP in global entertainment.
We should demand diversity in the kinds of adaptations too, not just horror or melodrama. Let different genres shine.
This initiative raises fascinating questions about language politics and diasporic identity. When we say ‘Chinese-language literature’ in Southeast Asia, which vernaculars and scripts are included? The term often privileges Mandarin and simplified characters. That’s exclusionary.
Excellent point. Inclusion should cover Hokkien, Cantonese, Malay-aligned Chinese writing and traditional characters where relevant. Otherwise the competition replicates linguistic hierarchies.
Is this just academic hair-splitting? Most readers want good stories, not debates about orthography. Let the market decide language usage.
Market forces are not neutral; they reflect policy, schooling and economic power. We should intentionally design competitions to support linguistic plurality.
I keep seeing glossy headlines about ‘cultural exchange’ and think of moneyed interests. Who polices the jury? Are there independent critics on the panel? Without that it’s publicity theatre.
They listed cultural figures and editors, but full transparency about judges would calm a lot of skeptics. Public juries or named criteria help.
Sometimes secrecy protects judges from lobbying. But a balance is needed—disclose affiliations, not everything private.
As a young writer I felt encouraged reading about this. Over 200 people at the launch is proof we want spaces like this. Please keep submission fees low so more can participate.
Agreed about fees. Many promising voices are excluded by cost. Grants or fee waivers would make this competition genuinely regional.
I hope organisers hear that; it’s a make-or-break issue for many of us.
Why is everything framed as ‘soft power’ now? Cultural diplomacy isn’t inherently sinister. Countries always project culture abroad. We just need to be critical consumers.
Critical consumption is easier said than done when media ecosystems are uneven. Empower local critics and fund independent translation to keep checks in place.
As someone who writes online fiction, events like this feel like a bridge to traditional publishing and new audiences. There’s a real hunger in Southeast Asia for Chinese storytelling that reflects local life. I only ask that organisers respect creative rights when deals are made.
Please sign more fair contracts and avoid losing IP rights forever. Fans will boycott if authors are mistreated.
Negotiation and legal literacy are vital. I wish more workshops focused on contracts and rights, not just plotting tips.
This tour reaching Penang and Nusa Island excites me more than the Bangkok launch itself. Rural and island communities have unique stories that rarely get heard. Tour stops matter.
I want local voices too. Cities aren’t the whole story.