Relic in British auction sparks call for boycott

China's national cultural relics watchdog has called for the boycott of an upcoming auction in the United Kingdom featuring a piece of bronzeware suspected of having been looted from China.

"We don't agree with any organization, from home or abroad, taking part in the auction," a statement released on Tuesday by the State Administration of Cultural Heritage said.

"We also call for people with a humanitarian spirit to commonly boycott the auction of cultural relics that were lost illicitly."