Three bronze heads, of a monkey, a tiger and an ox, are display at a private museum in Beijing in May 2000 after they were bought by a mainland company at an auction in Hong Kong. Considered national treasures from the old Summer Palace, the looted relics sparked an outcry from Chinese media, scholars and politicians when they were put up for sale. Photo: AFP
Three bronze heads, of a monkey, a tiger and an ox, are display at a private museum in Beijing in May 2000 after they were bought by a mainland company at an auction in Hong Kong. Considered national treasures from the old Summer Palace, the looted relics sparked an outcry from Chinese media, scholars and politicians when they were put up for sale. Photo: AFP
China /  Politics

China bans looted antiques from going under hammer at mainland auction houses

Beijing also has priority in buying precious antiques, according to latest regulations

Nectar Gan
Nectar Gan

Updated: 11:00pm, 2 Nov, 2016

Why you can trust SCMP
Three bronze heads, of a monkey, a tiger and an ox, are display at a private museum in Beijing in May 2000 after they were bought by a mainland company at an auction in Hong Kong. Considered national treasures from the old Summer Palace, the looted relics sparked an outcry from Chinese media, scholars and politicians when they were put up for sale. Photo: AFP
Three bronze heads, of a monkey, a tiger and an ox, are display at a private museum in Beijing in May 2000 after they were bought by a mainland company at an auction in Hong Kong. Considered national treasures from the old Summer Palace, the looted relics sparked an outcry from Chinese media, scholars and politicians when they were put up for sale. Photo: AFP
READ FULL ARTICLE