Forbidden City's folly

The burglary in one of the halls of the Forbidden City in Beijing on May 8 made the whole nation worried. None of the Forbidden City's precious relics should be in the hands of thieves.

But there is one more thing worrying us - a joint venture company affiliated to the Palace Museum has been accused of planning to run a club within its walls for rich people.

Following the hubbub surrounding the claims, the museum has said that it understands people's concerns but the venue is used for such events as receptions, forums and press conferences. It says the company's plan to open such a club has not been approved by the museum.