HONG KONG: If the planned expansion of the Shaolin Temple here works well, it may open doors for more branches worldwide, said a top temple official yesterday.

"After it is constructed on a much bigger site in Hong Kong, the Shaolin Temple is bound to attract followers from diverse countries in the region," Shi Yanchang, master of the Hong Kong Shaolin Temple, told China Daily.

"And if all goes well, there are chances that branches of the temple will come up in more countries around the world," he said.