As France passes law on returning loot, should China pop the champagne?

In a significant move that resonates with historical injustices, France has enacted a new law designed to facilitate the return of cultural artifacts looted from other nations. This legislative step, taken on April 13, marks a potential turning point in France's relationship with its colonial past and its approach to cultural restitution. The passage of this bill in the National Assembly, with a unanimous vote of 170 in favor and zero against, was met with a declaration that a long-awaited moment had finally arrived.

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One plundered, the other burned.

The historical context for this legislation is powerfully illuminated by the words of French writer Victor Hugo. In 1861, Hugo penned a scathing critique of France and Britain's actions during the looting of the Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) in Beijing the previous year. He famously described the two nations as "bandits" – "One plundered, the other burned" – and lamented that the treasures of the palace formed a "formidable and splendid museum of the Orient" now in French possession. Hugo expressed a fervent hope that "a day will come when France, delivered and cleansed, will return this booty to despoiled China."

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All the treasures of all our cathedrals put together could not equal this formidable and splendid museum of the Orient.

Nearly 165 years later, National Assembly Deputy Jeremie Patrier-Leitus invoked Hugo's powerful words as the bill was voted upon. His declaration that "the day Hugo hoped for had finally arrived" underscores the symbolic weight of this legislation. It suggests a conscious effort by contemporary France to reckon with its historical actions and to make amends for past wrongs.

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I hope that a day will come when France, delivered and cleansed, will return this booty to despoiled China.

From a Chinese perspective, this development, while positive, is viewed with a mixture of hope and historical caution. The restitution of looted cultural heritage is a deeply sensitive issue, representing not just the return of objects but the acknowledgment of historical wrongs and the reclamation of national identity. While France's new law is a commendable step, the practical implementation and the scope of restitution will be closely watched. The legacy of the Yuanmingyuan looting is a potent symbol of Western imperialism's impact on China's cultural patrimony. Therefore, while France may be celebrating a moment of historical reconciliation, China will be looking for concrete actions that fulfill Hugo's century-old hope for the return of its stolen treasures.

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When the vote was tallied – 170 in favour, zero against – he declared that the day Hugo hoped for had finally arrived.