Cai Mingchao

Cai Mingchao (蔡銘超) is a PRC businessman, art collector, director of tbe Xiamen Harmony Art International Auction Company in the province of Fujian.[1][2], and advisor to the PRC's National Treasures Fund. He rose to fame in Mainland China by submitting bids of €31m (£27m) for the two bronzes.for two bronze heads at the 2009 auction of Old Summer Palace bronze heads, part of the auction of the art collection of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, winning the auction and then refusing to pay in an act of protest against "cultural looting".  Mingchao said of his actions ...."I think any Chinese person would have stood up at that moment. It was just that the opportunity came to me. I was merely fulfilling my responsibilities." [3][4][5][6]  Following the auction he was hailed as a national hero as his face graced the front page of several newspapers around the PRC, and China Daily hailed him as a national hero.[7][8]

References
  1. Dempster, Anna M. (10 April 2014). Risk and Uncertainty in the Art World. ISBN 9781472902924.
  2. "LOOTING, BREAKING, PUTTING TOGETHER AND COPYING ART IN CHINA | Facts and Details".
  3. "Chinese bidder refuses to pay for Yves Saint Laurent-owned artefacts". 2 March 2009.
  4. Crow, Kelly (3 March 2009). "Bidder Refuses to Pay, Stating Protest of Looting". Wall Street Journal.
  5. "Chinese bidder "won't pay" for looted China bronzes". Reuters. 2 March 2009.
  6. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/mar/02/chinese-artifacts-yves-saint-laurent
  7. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB123610861077721441
  8. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7920830.stm
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