The controversial Confucius Peace Prize - banned by the mainland authorities in September - has made a comeback through a Hong Kong-registered company.
The organiser said this year's award went to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, and an award ceremony will be held on December 9 in Beijing, according to poet Qiao Damo, one of the founders of the prize.
The award was banned by the Ministry of Culture for 'violating relevant regulations' on the grounds that the organiser, represented by the Chinese Local Art Association, was not authorised to stage such an event and had 'severely breached regulations of social organisations'.
Qiao said he wanted to continue with the prize, so he decided to set up a company in Hong Kong, bypassing the ministry's ban.
'I will keep going on with this Confucius prize because this is my long-term cause,' he said, adding that he was planning another award similar to the Nobel Peace Prize.
Qiao said he paid 9,300 yuan (HK$11,400) to an agent in Beijing who helped him register the China International Peace Research Centre in Hong Kong. The company will engage in academic research and award distribution.
