The exiled Chinese writer Ma Jian has said that he was never intending to use an appearance at a Hong Kong arts centre this week “as a platform to promote my ‘political interests’” after his two events were abruptly cancelled, amid fears that liberties in the city are under serious threat from an assertive China.

The dissident author, who now lives in London, writes dark and satirical works depicting life in China. His books are banned on the mainland, but he was due to appear at the Hong Kong international literary festival later this week to promote his latest novel China Dream, a title that plays on Chinese President Xi Jinping’s rhetoric of national rejuvenation. It is described by publisher Penguin as “a biting satire of totalitarianism”.

But on Wednesday, the author announced on Twitter that his two speaking events had been cancelled by Tai Kwun arts centre, where the festival is held, not by festival organisers who he said were trying to find an alternative venue.

“Just been told that my two events at the Hong Kong international literary festival this week can no longer be held at Tai Kwun, where all the other events are taking place. An alternative venue will have to be found. No reason has been given to me yet,” he said in his tweet.

Tai Kwun’s director Timothy Calnin said in a statement on Thursday that the cancellation took place because “we do not want Tai Kwun to become a platform to promote the political interests of any individual”.

“We have therefore worked closely with the Hong Kong international literary festival to find a more suitable alternative venue. We are very grateful to the festival for their co-operation in reaching this solution,” said Calnin.

But Ma told the Guardian that he was “never intending to use Tai Kwun as a platform to promote my ‘political interests’”.

“I am a novelist, not an activist. I have been invited to attend the Hong Kong literary festival to talk about my new novel, China Dream,” said Ma.

“Of course, since my books were banned in China 30 years ago, every word I have written has been, in a sense, a political act of defiance, a refusal to be silenced. When you write about China, it is impossible to separate politics from literature. Indeed, it is the duty of every writer to take a stand. But I am not trying to start a revolution. I write fiction to express the truth as I see it. My politics are very simple: I believe in freedom of thought and freedom of speech. Without them, life has no value or meaning.”

Hong Kong’s government says it wants to turn the city into an arts and culture hub, with Tai Kwun the result of a multimillion-dollar renovation of a colonial-era prison and police station, led by the government and the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

The city has rights that are not enjoyed on the mainland, protected by an agreement made before it was handed back to China by Britain in 1997, but there are fears they are being steadily eroded. A highly anticipated art show by Chinese political cartoonist Badiucao was cancelled last week, with Hong Kong organisers citing safety concerns due to “threats made by Chinese authorities relating to the artist”.

Hong Kong authorities also faced a major backlash when they denied a visa without explanation last month to a Financial Times journalist who had chaired a press club talk by a Hong Kong independence activist.

The Hong Kong literary festival attracts leading authors from around the world and this year features Scottish novelist Irvine Welsh and bestselling American author Cheryl Strayed. Its director Phillipa Milne said in a statement: “We are Hong Kong’s leading organisation committed to promoting literature, education and the exchange of ideas. We are proud to present a diverse programme and roster of local and international writers, which this year includes Ma Jian. We are very happy to confirm that our planned events are all going ahead on schedule, but we have been asked to change the venue for two events by Tai Kwun. We aren’t speculating on the reasons for the move and instead focus on our mission of ensuring our authors are all heard. Venue updates will be announced on the festival’s website.”

Agence France Presse also contributed to this report.