Looted relics removed from auction

Two Chinese relics that were looted from Beijing's Old Summer Palace, or Yuanmingyuan, in 1860 have been withdrawn from auction at Bonhams auctioneers in London.

Bonhams has removed all the information and photos of the two cultural relics from its website.

Colin Sheaf, Bonhams Asia chairman, said in a statement on Nov 2: "Bonhams is very sorry to read reports in the Chinese press that offence has been caused in China by the proposed sale of two jade carvings."