A medal said to have been presented to late Kuomintang leader Chiang Kai-shek and to have been buried with him is set to go on sale in Hong Kong - even though the government in Taipei has said "it would be impossible for the medal to appear for auction outside Taiwan".
Taiwan's Ministry of National Defences issued its second statement in a week last night to state that the medal was buried with the late Republic of China president in his mausoleum.
But British auction house Spinks China insists it has proof that the medal is genuine.
Taiwan issued its second statement after Spinks held a press conference about the Order of Blue Sky and White Sun with Grand Cordon, which it expects to fetch at least HK$3 million.
"It is ridiculous to say the medal is not genuine, as we have all kind of documents and experts to prove it," Spinks China vice chairman Anna Lee said.
Collector and scholar Chuk Hong-ming, who wrote a book about the medal, said the one held by Spinks was indeed worn by Chiang.