France's new restitution law opens path for China to recover looted colonial-era artefacts

China has welcomed France's new law easing the restitution of colonial-era looted artworks, which could enable Beijing to recover treasures stolen during the 1860 sacking of the Old Summer Palace, according to RFI English.

The French legislation simplifies procedures for returning cultural artefacts acquired under colonial rule, addressing long-standing demands from non-Western nations for the return of heritage items held in European museums and private collections.

The Old Summer Palace in Beijing was looted and destroyed by British and French forces during the Second Opium War. Chinese officials have identified significant portions of the palace's contents dispersed across Western institutions. The law represents a shift in French policy toward acknowledging colonial-era acquisitions as illegitimate.