By Teddy Ng and Zou Le

Controversial blogger Han Han whose magazine Party folded after just one issue intends to write a column to be published in the New York Times, a prominent publisher said Monday.

Shen Haobo, president of China's largest private pub-lisher, Beijing Motie Books, told the Global Times Monday that Han informed him that arrangements between him and the US-based newspaper have been basically confirmed.

Shen said Han will write in Chinese, and the newspaper will translate the articles into English.

Han's first piece may focus on Robin Li Yanhong, the president of search engine Baidu.

Baidu has been accused by popular writers, including Han, of violating their copyright and the company was branded a "thief" for allowing Internet users to download their works without permission.

"If the negotiation with Baidu collapses, the first column of Han Han in the New York Times could be entitled 'China's top rich man, Robin Li Yanhong,'" Shen said.

The first edition of Han's magazine, which in Chinese name means "a chorus of so-los," was first printed on July 6, 2010.

The magazine, sold for 16 yuan ($2.4), and included essays, poems and opinion pieces from various cultural celebrities, including movie director Pang Ho-cheung.

The issue sold nearly 1.5 mil-lion copies, Han's assistant told the Xinhua News Agency earlier.

Han, also a professional racecar driver, is known for tackling sensitive issues in a subtle way without getting into trouble with authorities.

Han first planned to publish the magazine on a monthly basis. However, the second issue did not appear, and he announced in December that the magazine folded.

Some Internet users said they were eager to read Han's column in the US paper.

"It is interesting to see what Han's article will be like if it is translated into English," said an Internet user Aimilong.

Han and his assistant could not be reached for comment Monday.

The New York Times did not reply to questions from the Global Times by press time.