Why China has the write stuff

From travel writer Justin Hill's point of view China is the ideal canvas for an author. This is where the action is and it provides a fresh source of material for English-language literature, color for the writer's brush.

The assistant professor at Hong Kong University says that compared to the West, Asia in general and China in particular have more scope and the stakes are higher when it comes to writing.

"The big things that are happening in the world are going on here and now in China and Asia as a whole," the British author says, giving the example of a migrant factory worker and her struggles to settle in an urban environment.