China Say no to Pay for the Bronze Sculptures
By admin on 2014-12-16

A Chinese man says he was the successful bidder for two bronze sculptures auctioned in Paris last week. And he says he has no intention of paying.

Cai Mingchao is a collection advisor for the National Treasures Fund. He successfully registered as an individual bidder on the day of the auction and bid 31.49 million euros by telephone.

Cai say he will not pay for the treasures. China has repeatedly demanded the return of the sculptures looted by Anglo-French allied forces during the Second Opium War. A motion filed with a French court to stop the auction was rejected.

China said on Monday that Christie's auction of the two Chinese relics was a lesson to the whole world.

The Ministry declined to comment on Tuesday over the auction of two bronzes at Christie's, following the Chinese bidder's refusal to pay up. The auction house also refused to comment.

Christie's wouldn't disclose any possible course of action after Cai Mingchao, a collection advisor of the National Treasure Funds of China, refused to pay his bids. Cai bid 14 million euros by telephone for each bronze at the February 25th auction at Christie's.

According to French law, it's possible for the two bronze sculptures to be auctioned again.