Source: www.chinaview.cn
BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese antique collector who bid at a Christie's auction for two looted bronze animal heads, Tuesday told why he has refused to pay his winning bid.
The two looted pieces were not allowed to enter China according to a regulation issued a day after the auction by China's cultural relics administration, and as a result, the payment should not be made, Cai Mingchao said in a statement released by the National Treasure Funds of China (NTFC).
China has repeatedly demanded the return of the sculptures -- heads of a rat and a rabbit -- looted when the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) was burned down by Anglo-French allied forces during the Second Opium War in 1860.
"The auction negated the history that the cultural relics were looted, defied the ethics of international society, and breached the rules of commercial auctions," Cai said in the statement, which was e-mailed to Xinhua.
Cai said that the sculptures would disappear forever and auctioning looted antiques could become a commercial practice had he not been the final bidder at the auction in Paris on Feb. 25.
"I got the chance and I was capable of buying the bronzes at the time of the auction. As a Chinese collector and art advisor, I'm willing to rescue looted artworks," Cai, NTFC's collection advisor, emphasized.
Cai won the auction by bidding 31.49 million euros (39.63 million U.S. dollars) by telephone, but he told a press conference Monday that no payment would be made.
So far, five of the 12 bronze animal heads have been returned, while the whereabouts of five others are unknown.
An online survey conducted by sina.com.cn showed more than 70 percent of the netizens support Cai's patriotic action for he had safeguarded China's interests. However, others said China's reputation would be affected and Christie's is still able to hold new auctions.
An attempt to contact Cai failed and employees of his company in Xiamen, Fujian Province, said they had lost contact with their boss since Monday.
The company was established in 2003 with a registered capital of 1.16 million yuan (nearly 170,000 U.S. dollars) and more than 10 employees. Cai owns 95 percent of the company's shares.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang reiterated on Tuesday that the looted sculptures were originally owned by China and China opposed any auction of these cultural relics and demanded their return. Qin said he learned the bidder was Chinese on Monday after the news conference.
Christie's has not made any official comment over the issue so far.
NTFC was established in 2002 under the administration of China Foundation for the Development of Social Culture registered under the name of the Ministry of Culture for the purpose of repatriating looted Chinese artifacts.
China again demands return of looted cultural relics
source: www.chinaview.cn
·China on Tuesday again demanded the return of two Chinese imperial bronze sculptures.
·Cai Mingchao on Monday told a press conference that his winning bid would not be paid.
·"We oppose any auction of these cultural relics and demand the return of them," Qin said.
BEIJING, March 3 (Xinhua) -- China on Tuesday again demanded the return of two Chinese imperial bronze sculptures auctioned in Paris last week.
"The essence of the issue is that these cultural relics, which were looted and taken abroad, are originally owned by China," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told the regular briefing.
Qin's comment came after a Chinese man was identified as the successful bidder for the two looted bronze heads of a rabbit and a rat auctioned in Paris last week.
Cai Mingchao, who bid 31.49 million euros (39.63 million U.S. dollars) by telephone during the auction at Christie's in Paris, on Monday told a press conference that his winning bid would not be paid.
Qin said he learned the bidder was Chinese only after Cai and the National Treasure Funds of China (NTFC) held the press conference Monday.
"We oppose any auction of these cultural relics and demand the return of them," Qin said.
China has repeatedly demanded the return of the sculptures looted when the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) was burned down by Anglo-French allied forces during the Second Opium War in 1860.However, Christie's held the auction after a court in Paris turned down a motion by Chinese lawyers to stop the auction.
In only the second year of racing, the Southern California-based American Interbanc/Cannondale mountain bike team is being led Ben Sonntag, who recently signed for the squad Bissell Cycling Jersey .
"I have some big races cycling jersey on my radar for 2013, and so far we're off to a great start, sitting third overall in the standings and a finishing fourth in the" said Sonntag.
"I bike wear am excited about joining the American Interbanc/Cannondale team and even more excited to be back racing on Cannondale bicycles again. I've raced Cannondales for the majority of my mountain biking career."
Sonntag, who lives in Durango, has Garmin Cycling Jersey groomed himself over the bike jersey years into one of the top endurance stage racers in North America. An diverse and talented German, Sonntag's resume includes wins at La Ruta de los Conquistadores and the Breck Epic bike clothing .
"We are excited to have a rider of Ben's Cycling clothing caliber flying the American Interbanc / Cannondale team colors, and showcasing the performance of Cycling Sets Cannondale bicycles," said American Interbanc/Cannondale team manager Jon Hornbeck.
Cycling Jersey
Team Cycling Jersey
Ag2r-La Mondiale Cycling Jersey
Amore@Vita McDonald's Cycling Jersey
Assos Cycling Jersey
Astana Cycling Jersey
Barloworld Cycling Jersey
Bianchi Cycling Jersey
Bike Tour Cycling Jersey
Bissell Cycling Jersey
BMC Cycling Jersey
Caisse d'Epargne Cycling Jersey
Cannondale Cycling Jersey
Capo Cycling Jersey
Castelli Cycling Jersey
Cervelo Cycling Jersey
Cinelli Cycling Jersey
Cofidis Cycling Jersey
Colnago Cycling Jersey
CSC Cycling Jersey
Cube Cycling Jersey
Discovery Cycling Jersey
Europcar Cycling Jersey
Euskaltel Euskadi Cycling Jersey
FDJ Cycling Jersey
Ferrari Cycling Jersey
Footon Cycling Jersey
Garmin Cycling Jersey
Giant Cycling Jersey
Giordana Cycling Jersey
GreenEDGE Cycling Jersey
HTC-Highroad Cycling Jersey
ISD Cycling Jersey
Katusha Cycling Jersey
Kuota Cycling Jersey
Lampre Cycling Jersey
LCL Cycling Jersey
Leopard Cycling Jersey
Liberty Seguros Cycling Jersey
Liquigas Cycling Jersey
Livestrong Cycling Jersey
Lotto Cycling Jersey
Magnus Maximus Coffee Cycling Jersey
Movistar Cycling Jersey
Multivan Merida Cycling Jersey
Nalini Cycling Jersey
North Wave Cycling Jersey
Orbea Cycling Jersey
Other Team Cycling Jersey
Pearl Izumi Cycling Jersey
Pinarello Cycling Jersey
Quick Step Cycling Jersey
RaboBank Cycling Jersey
RadioShack Cycling Jersey
Rock Racing Cycling Jersey
Santini-JBG Cycling Jersey
Saxo Bank Cycling Jersey
Scott Cycling Jersey
Shimano Cycling Jersey
Skoda Cycling Jersey
SKY Cycling Jersey
Specialized Cycling Jersey
Spider Cycling Jersey
Subaru Cycling Jersey
USPS Cycling Jersey
Vacansoleil Cycling Jersey
Cycling Sets
Cycling Jersey
Cycling Shorts
Cycling Pants
Tour De France Cycling Jersey
Cycling Accessories