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Chinese bidder of looted sculptures refuses to pay

Published: 01/03/2009 05:00

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A Chinese man who successfully bid for two looted bronze sculptures auctioned in Paris last week says his winning bid will not be paid.

Cai Mingchao (3rd R), a collection advisor of National Treasures Fund who successfully bid for two looted bronze sculptures auctioned in Paris last week, attends a news conference in Beijing, on March 2, 2009. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)

Cai Mingchao, a collection advisor of National Treasure Funds of China (NTFC), bid 31.49 million euros (39.63 million U.S. dollars) by telephone during the auction at Christie’s on Feb. 25,Niu Xianfeng, deputy director of the fund, said at a brief press conference Monday.

“What I want to stress is that this money cannot be paid,” Cai said at the press conference.

An unnamed officer with NTFC said Cai successfully registered as an individual bidder on the day of the auction at Christie’s because of his good reputation. Usually, bidders are required to register several days before an auction.

“Every Chinese would have liked to do like this at that moment, and I’m honored to have the chance to make the bid,” he said.

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.

A Xinhua reporter asked if he registered at the auction as a representative of the fund, but Cai only answered, “I did this on behalf of all Chinese people.”

“The fund faces great pressure and risks by bidding for the two sculptures, but this is an extraordinary method taken in an extraordinary situation, which successfully stopped the auction,” Niu said.

Earlier media reports said the 18th Century bronze heads of a rat and a rabbit were sold for 28 million euros as part of an auction of art works owned by the late French designer Yves Saint Laurent.

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.

So far, five of the 12 bronze animal heads have been returned, while the whereabouts of five others are unknown.

Wang Qing, spokesman of a group of almost 90 lawyers who have been trying to boycott the auction by legal means, told Xinhua that they were excited to hear the news.

“We admire Cai’s action, which demonstrated the power of Chinese people,” Wang said. He said Cai was a patriot, who had spent a lot of money in repatriating Chinese cultural relics. He was forced to do this in an effort to stop the auction.

Cai, a native of Fujian, also runs a cultural company in Xiamen city in the province. He bought a bronze buddha statue at a sotheby’s auction for 116 million Hong Kong dollars (14.95 million U.S. dollars) in 2006, and brought the rare treasure back to China.

Wang said Cai’s action would help the lawyers pursue further legal actions.

Gan Xuejun, general manager of Beijing Huachen Auctions Co. Ltd., said Cai’s method of foiling the auction was improper and he sacrificed his reputation as a well-known antiques collector.

“I’m very surprised. Cai’s reputation and future career could be ruined. Cai made the choice in an urgent situation for the country, but I personally do not support such behavior,” Gan told Xinhua.

“As an experienced artifacts collector and advisor, Cai fully understood all possible consequences and he chose to do what he did after careful consideration,” the NTFC officer said.

In China, bidders must pay a deposit before attending an auction. However, a deposit was unnecessary outside China and auctioneers usually accept reliable bidders, said Gan.

Gillian Leung, a public relations manager with Christie’s Hong Kong office, said the company was investigating the case, but no official statement was available.

Shan Jing, chief representative of Christie’s Beijing office, said usually such a case would be submitted to the company’s legal affairs department, and its lawyers would decide on further action.

Gan said Christie’s may take legal action to pursue payment from Cai.

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet

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