Shanghai, October 2 (Xinhua) -- The "First Treasure House" of Shanghai Free Trade Zone: Smooth the "Way Home" for Overseas Cultural Relics and Artworks
China News Service reporter Wang Ji
The Shanghai International Cultural Relics and Artworks Bonded Service Center (hereinafter referred to as the "National Art Center"), standing at the mouth of the sea in Waigaoqiao, Shanghai and known as the "first treasure trove" of the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, is the first destination for many international cultural relics and artworks entering China. Especially in November every year, when the "pointer" of the global art scene points to Shanghai, many cultural relics and artworks depart from here and "rush" to large-scale expos such as the CIIE and ART021 to meet Chinese audiences.
Shanghai International Bonded Service Center for Cultural Relics and Artworks. (Image provided by Shanghai Free Trade Zone International Cultural Investment Development Co., Ltd.)
Unlike ordinary goods, the "entry journey" of cultural relics and artworks often involves multiple levels of difficulty and strict requirements for temperature and humidity control, security, and safety. In this huge national art center, relying on the convenient customs clearance advantages of the Shanghai Free Trade Zone, customs clearance, logistics, bonded warehousing, bonded exhibition, and purchase clearance of overseas cultural relics and artworks can be completed in one stop.
Such an efficient and precise service model not only ensures the safety of cultural relics and artworks, but also facilitates the return channels of overseas cultural relics. Data shows that from 2013 to 2023, the cumulative total value of cultural relics and artworks imported and exported in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone bonded area reached a scale of over 100 billion yuan; In 2023, the Shanghai Free Trade Zone Bonded Zone completed a total of nearly 18000 pieces/sets of cultural relics and artworks for import and export, including nearly 6000 pieces/sets of cultural relics declared for import and export.
What impressed the staff was that the National Art Center dispatched global industry resources and "escorted" the "Yongle Grand Ceremony" safely back to China from Paris to Shanghai within one day, achieving a great story of overseas cultural relics returning home. The Yongle Encyclopedia is a large encyclopedia compiled during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, with a total number of surviving copies accounting for less than 4% of the original book. In July 2020, two volumes of the "Yongle Encyclopedia" that were lost overseas appeared at an auction in Paris, France, and were ultimately won by a Chinese collector; In 2022, these two volumes of "National Treasures" overcame numerous difficulties and successfully returned to China, and are now available at the Hangzhou National Version Museum.
In 2022, two volumes of the "Yongle Encyclopedia" were inspected in the warehouse of the Shanghai International Cultural Relics and Artworks Bonded Service Center. (Image provided by Shanghai Free Trade Zone International Cultural Investment Development Co., Ltd.)
In recent years, the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Cultural Heritage has implemented a series of innovative measures in the areas of cultural relic return, protection and exhibition, talent cultivation, and import and export review, amplifying the "estuary" of international cultural relics and artworks, and facilitating the return of overseas cultural relics to the "main channel".
In October 2020, the Chinese Ministry of Finance and others jointly issued a notice that each overseas exhibitor who sells up to 5 pieces of art, collectibles, and antique imported exhibits during the CIIE exhibition period can be exempted from import tariffs, import value-added tax, and consumption tax. The focus of the "5 tax-free items" policy is to promote the return of overseas cultural relics and stimulate private capital participation.
Starting from October 1, 2022, the "Several Provisions on the Trading of Cultural Relics and Artworks in Pudong New Area, Shanghai" officially came into effect, clarifying the "6-month x N" system for temporary entry of cultural relics. This is the only national innovation system for the entry and exit of cultural relics in the free trade zone bonded area authorized by the National Cutural Heritage Administration in the reform pilot program. That is, it can continuously apply for the temporary entry of cultural relics for six months.
The Shanghai Free Trade Zone International Cultural Investment Development Co., Ltd. stated that policies such as "5 tax-free items" and the "free trade speed" of overseas cultural relics return not only reflect Shanghai's innovation and efficient execution in promoting international cultural exchanges and the prosperity of the cultural relics and art market, but also provide experience and inspiration for other cities in China. In the future, with the continuous improvement and promotion of relevant mechanisms, we believe that more overseas cultural relics and artworks will return to China through platforms such as the CIIE, making greater contributions to the protection and inheritance of cultural heritage