Martial arts fiction master Louis Cha is one of four Hong Kong authors who has joined the China Writers' Association, a semi-official organisation that has been accused of stifling freedom of expression.
The other Hongkongers on the list of 408 new members are Chau Mat-mat, Choi Yick-wai and Cheung Sze-kim, who are all deputy chairmen of Hong Kong Writers.
It is the first time the association has allowed Hong Kong writers to join since the 1980s. Spokesman Chen Qirong said yesterday the 'timing and condition are both right' to include the city's writers as it 'will stimulate the development of Chinese literature'.
Mainland media reports indicate that Cha, 85, whose martial arts novels have won him a huge fan base, may become deputy chairman of the association.
The well-known liberal writer Liu Binyan was expelled from the association as deputy chairman in 1987 for his dissident writings.
Hong Kong Writers chairman Poon Yiu-ming said Cha had agreed to join the association earlier this year. 'Mr Cha and the association agreed to this co-operation earlier in the year ... Mr Cha applied to join the association according to strict procedures,' he was quoted as saying on Sina.com.
