正文
By Ben Blanchard
BEIJING (Reuters) - A Chinese man said on Monday that he was thewinning bidder for two bronze sculptures at a Paris auction last week,but he had no intention paying for the controversial treasures lootedfrom Beijing.
The two sculptures, heads of a rat and a rabbit, were from theestate of Yves Saint Laurent and sold for 15 million euros each ($20million) to a telephone bidder during the auction of the latedesigner\'s art collection.
But Cai Mingchao, an adviser to a fund that seeks to retrieve lootedtreasures, said no money would change hands for the relics stolen fromBeijing\'s Summer Palace, which was razed in 1860 by French and Britishforces.
Reading a brief statement, Cai told a news conference that his bid was a patriotic act.
I think any Chinese person would have stood up at that moment. Itwas just that the opportunity came to me. I was merely fulfilling myresponsibilities.
Before the auction, France was already the target of Chinese publicire because President Nicolas Sarkozy had met the Dalai Lama, Tibet\'sexiled Buddhist leader. The contention over the looted bronzes added tothat anger.
Some online commentators had said China should not seek to buy the sculptures, as that would add to the insult.
(Writing by Chris Buckley; Editing by Nick Macfie)
BEIJING (Reuters) - A Chinese man said on Monday that he was thewinning bidder for two bronze sculptures at a Paris auction last week,but he had no intention paying for the controversial treasures lootedfrom Beijing.
The two sculptures, heads of a rat and a rabbit, were from theestate of Yves Saint Laurent and sold for 15 million euros each ($20million) to a telephone bidder during the auction of the latedesigner\'s art collection.
But Cai Mingchao, an adviser to a fund that seeks to retrieve lootedtreasures, said no money would change hands for the relics stolen fromBeijing\'s Summer Palace, which was razed in 1860 by French and Britishforces.
Reading a brief statement, Cai told a news conference that his bid was a patriotic act.
I think any Chinese person would have stood up at that moment. Itwas just that the opportunity came to me. I was merely fulfilling myresponsibilities.
Before the auction, France was already the target of Chinese publicire because President Nicolas Sarkozy had met the Dalai Lama, Tibet\'sexiled Buddhist leader. The contention over the looted bronzes added tothat anger.
Some online commentators had said China should not seek to buy the sculptures, as that would add to the insult.
(Writing by Chris Buckley; Editing by Nick Macfie)
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