China seeks to halt auction of relics

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Source: CCTV.com | 02-22-2009 14:19

A court in France will rule on a motion put forward by a group of Chinese lawyers who are trying to stop the auction house Christie's from selling two relics looted from Beijing's old summer palace. The auction is scheduled for Wednesday in Paris. China is voicing strong opposition to the sale of its lost treasures.

A court in France will rule on a motion put forward by a  group of Chinese lawyers who are trying to stop the auction house Christie's from selling two relics looted from Beijing's old summer palace.

Displaying age-old Chinese craftsmanship, nearly 150 years ago these bronze sculptures from the Qing Dynasty adorned the imperial summer resort known as Yuanmingyuan.

They were looted when the palace was burned by French and British forces during the Second Opium War in 1860.

Now, they belong to the Yves Saint Laurent Foundation which is looking to sell them.

China is strongly opposed.

Jiang Yu, Spokeswoman of Chinese Foreign Ministry said "It's a fact that the two bronze sculptures were looted from China by Anglo-French allied forces during the Second Opium War. China has undoubted ownership to these relics. And the looted relics should be returned to China."

China is indignant for good reasons.