Safeguarding China's Cultural History: Proposed Amendments to the 2002 Law on the Protection of Cultural Relics

Authors

Amanda K. Maus

Abstract

The 2002 Law on the Protection of Cultural Relics (“2002 Law”) has done little to safeguard cultural property in China. While the statute provides general procedures for relic collection, protection, and cataloging, and sets punishments for individuals and entities that violate the law, it does not furnish funding for the implementation of these measures. Amendments in 2007 failed to address the major problems of the 2002 Law—notably, the lack of incentives to return stolen or looted property and insufficient funding of the law. Due to these problems, the 2002 Law should again be amended to create a fund for the protection of historical sites and establish a grant process through which individuals and entities seeking to protect cultural relics would be compensated adequately for the costs of their efforts.

First Page

405

Recommended Citation

Amanda K. Maus, Comment, Safeguarding China's Cultural History: Proposed Amendments to the 2002 Law on the Protection of Cultural Relics, 18 Pac. Rim L & Pol'y J. 405 (2009).
Available at: https://digitalcommons.law.uw.edu/wilj/vol18/iss2/11