French court rules against auction suspension

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The development in Paris has been closely followed in China. The vast majority of Chinese consider the two sculptures as lost national treasures that should be returned unconditionally, to the Old Summer Palace in Beijing.

So far 5 such animal heads have been returned to China. Along with the rat and rabbit heads, they're part of a set of 12 that form a zodiac water clock. At the close of the Second Opium War, the Palace was burned by the British and French armies and the sculptures disappeared.

The Chinese government's stance on the auction is clear: it won't try to buy the relics back.

Zong Tianliang, Admin. director of Old Summer Palace, said, "Cultural relics should be brought home to the their place of origin. Whether by diplomatic or legal means is always the best, and if we were to find a way to accomplish legally to get them back to where they belong, we'll need to see movement both with international law working together with domestic law."

The two bronze animal heads are expected to sell for up to 10 million euros each. Christie's plans to put them on the auction block on Wednesday.

Editor:Liu Anqi