Independent Chinese PEN Center (ICPC) is a nongovernmental, nonprofit and nonpartisan organization beyond borders based on free association of those who write, edit, translate, research and publish literature work in Chinese and dedicated to freedom of expression for the workers in Chinese language and literature, including writers, journalists, translators, scholars and publishers over the world. ICPC is a member organization of International PEN, the global association of writers dedicated to freedom of expression and the defence of writers suffering governmental repression. Through the worldwide PEN network and its own membership base in China and abroad, ICPC is able to mobilize international attention to the plight of writers and editors within China attempting to write and publish with a spirit of independence and integrity, regardless of their political views, ideological standpoint or religious beliefs.
In July 2001, ICPC was founded by a group of Chinese writers in exile and in China, and approved as a chapter of the International PEN at its annual congress in London in November. Since then, ICPC has made vigorous efforts to promote and defend the freedom of writing and publication and the free flow of information in China, and been deeply concerned about the state of civil society and open discourse there. The former president Dr. LIU Xiaobo (28 December 1955 – 13 July 2017) got Nobel Peace Prize in 2010.
In September 2022, ICPC held its Tenth Congress, and elected the current Board, which then held its first meeting to elect elect Cai Chu (USA) as the current President, 2 Vice-presidents Mr. ZHAO Shiying (China) and Dr. Teng Biao (USA), and Secretary-general Zili Yang (USA).