Ministry cracks down on illegal art deals

The Ministry of Culture announced plans on Wednesday to enhance supervision and regulation of the artwork market.

The ministry said eight operators of art exhibition and trade nationwide from different province-level administrative regions including Beijing, Jiangsu, and Liaoning, will be punished following a recent investigation.

The violators were mainly condemned for trading forgeries, artworks including materials forbidden by law like fossils, and imported pieces without approvals from relevant authorities.

In 2016, the ministry announced a rule regulating art-piece dealers.

Liu Luping, an official with the artwork market department under the ministry, particularly noted that regulation on imported artworks is to be enhanced: Dealing in such works is not allowed without government approval, and operators have to apply to province-level cultural administrations 45 days prior to exhibitions that include imported art pieces.

Cultural heritages and mass-produced industrial products are not included as "artworks" in the regulations.

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