You STOLE from us. (China vs UK)

The British Museum has amassed over 8 million treasures, the majority of which have been plundered, looted and stolen from their rightful owners, with over 23,000 of these items being Chinese in origin.
In light of the current scandal enveloping the museum, is it time for these items to be returned?
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/ @harveyinchina
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[@samyang5873]

Returning all stolen items is the right thing to do.

[@yndiiatecow2536]

Why not ask all colonial powers, mostly west and America returned what was looted as a war trophy to their rightful owner. I will sanction you, ssid the American, it's not stolen it is a war trophy.

[@loktom4068]

Sunick should order Vampire King Charlie to return INDIA'S jewelries or put Charlie in prison.

[@eighty88eight]

Including Venezuelan $1.8 billion gold.

[@louiserobinson9776]

The arguments for keeping looted artefacts in British Museum are pathetic as well as offensive to the countries of origin. They’re a constant reminder of Britain’s shameful colonial past and should be repatriated.

[@beproudasian8279]

👍👍👍

[@tigading2177]

it is also extremely repugnant to think UK has a right to determine which is or is not stable natio to keep these foreign stolen treasure. You can pull all sorts of mental gymnastics, but in the end, these are ALL stolen goods, UK has no moral right whatsoever, their presence in the UK is a testament of UK's long history of theft.

[@Anonymous------]

Also by their same reasoning, it was totally correct for British colonists to genocide people in other countries to save their heritage. 😂

[@Mr.Patrick_Hung]

The argument about accessibility has one further fallacy. Museums in different countries loan things to each other all the time. Some Chinese artefacts should remain in the British Museum, with the Chinese government's permission. And some British/English artefacts should be loaned to museums in China.

[@IA100KPDT]

Its like saying my neighbour had so many ferraris and not taking good care of them, so its ok for me to steal one and put it in my garage. 😆

[@yumichow4375]

UK should return all these artifacts

[@georgejesson1944]

Treasures stolen from all countries should be returned to their country of origins.

[@Harveyinchina]

Agreed

[@IA100KPDT]

If I am a Brit, I would be very embarrassed to go to the British Museum. If I am not wrong, many artifacts were stolen from the warehouse and nobody is answering for it.

[@chew5461]

Yes, many artifacts were stolen over some years. But the museum kept quiet because to expose the losses/thefts would also expose their bad management and callous inefficiency.

[@johnwong6828]

You see the British know not the meaning of shame.

[@sola4393]

Actually everyone should be embarrass going to that museum. Shame for the Brits who rob and kill people to obtain the artifacts. Shame for the countries of the said item that was rob or stolen from them. The whole museum is one big shame for all human race who glorify violence, robbery that is being put on display.

[@Mel_Gerrard]

This is a reflection of the UK's imperialist mentality, which is especially ironic in 2023 given the crumbling ex-empire it now is.

[@johnli6782]

Thank you Harvey, for this incredibly well written and presented call for Justice and Hope.

[@Faye_Liu]

As a Chinese, I completely approve your message expressed in this video Harvey. The British Museum is a museum of British hypocrisy and shame. The British public are seriously lack of education on their true colonial past.

[@yehuo2825]

@f_liu , are you on deny and being naive?! the west only see these as trophies and their rights to steal from other countries they attack! what if i take stuff from your home and put it on display at my home and i use the excuse that my home is better?! the way how the uk replied back when china ask them to return what they stole is only being arrogant, selfish, and self center! in the current situation, china is a better and more safe place than any country on earth now! also if the uk museum is really that safe why are real artifacts being stolen under their nose and they didnt even know about it?! cause they dont care about other countries artifacts, they just wanna use those artifacts to make $ and replace the artifacts with fake ones! wake up to reality! stop living inside a bubble that the west created that the west is the best place!

[@Wargamer_Asian]

100% AGREE!

[@cheekiat8362]

They r thief, robber n forever will b stealing other countries wealth n artifacts.....

[@rockyshi9609]

Disagree, I think most of them are aware of the ugliness of the colonial history, but deliberately ignore the fact because they benefited from it

[@autumnflower8942]

@@rockyshi9609 Who specifically? Britain has the golden treasure of my country and we have not gained any benefit from this disgusting ulcer on this planet. The British did not only occupy backward countries, but also robbed developed European countries. They got it because we had to pay our army in WW2 to fight for the British motherfuckers or the whole of Europe would fall and the war started, when Britain gave my country to Hitler, because he needed our arms industry, and thereby enabled him to start the war. These are absurdities, aren't they?

[@judychi3313]

A well researched video! You are probably one of the very few British who support the need to return the stolen artefacts. Thank you for voicing this out.👍👍

[@terencetsa3385]

Thank you Harvey.. We need to pursue this. With the Greeks, Indians, Egyptian, African, etc etc..

[@michihofer587]

Well said 👏

[@Anonymous------]

Need more young people like you to talk about geopolitics.

[@ielee1765]

Agreed with you totally. Some of these artifacts were not even displayed & protected they were lock up or hide in he museum basement & to hold on to these shameful past is not an ideal way of remembering UK history. There are plenty more of these artifacts in stately homes all over GB on display or hide in the basement or attic.

[@kimchiba4570]

The french and english stole almost 1 million artefacts ehen they looted the summer palace

[@siokliengliem3016]

Yes, I read somewhere that the British looted the Yuan Ming Yuan palace and after that, they burned all into ashes. Even the shangshu /the chronicle books of the emperors were used and be put as a bridge base, where their chariots passed by.. That's extremely humiliated. And now the British do not feel any shame and still keep their looting .. 😢

[@lkchoh1454]

They did not understand the stolen Buddhist scripts but kept in British museum and turned tan. To Chinese that is important history scripts and could be translated to different versions.

[@kimchiba4570]

@@siokliengliem3016 this is what happens when a country is backward and poor.. And the west is trying to repeat the whole thing their forebears did by trying to stop China progress except this time, they will fail

[@harryquah]

Harvey. Thank you for speaking out.🎉

[@iScoopyPal]

UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, USA, or any countries that mistakenly took these artifacts or artworks for any reason need to return them to their rightful places. Be honest and exhibit behavior that reflects the grandeur of your own country and heritage. Do it the right way, and the receiving countries will thank you for taking care of them. Travelers and people will enjoy them in more authentic ways...The world will be better and richer.

[@Truthstelling]

You are very generous to use the word "mistakenly" and "for any reasons".

[@REDSUN-8]

It's not a mistake, it's looting!!

[@iScoopyPal]

@@REDSUN-8 Of course you are right, but they need a graceful exit. Be patient, one thing at a time. Soon or later, the artifacts will return to their original country peacefully or by law and order. We all know that this isn't right.

[@REDSUN-8]

@@iScoopyPal Oh my god, you still expect the UK to withdraw gracefully? They are robbers!! Not long ago, the British Museum announced that 2,000 Chinese cultural relics were lost. A national museum actually lost 2,000 cultural relics. No one believes this is true!! The so-called lost China Cultural relics may be the most expensive among the 25,000 Chinese cultural relics. They use such despicable and shameless methods to gradually hide priceless Chinese treasures that are unwilling to be returned. Just wait and see😎

[@FrankiePo89]

My respect to you, young man.

[@codyshi4743]

Well said Harvey, I agree with your overall statement. About the saying that the British and other European foreign nation should still hold on to the artifact that they stole from China, there are those who always would make the argument about the Cultural Revolution and the destruction of the four olds, which is really sickening. Because when those people with negative and Cold War mentality view of China, always paint China in the negative light and look upon China’s ugly communist past as a way to justify their keeping of the stuff they stole from China. They should wake up to the fact that China is not like other unstable developing nation anymore, wake up to the fact that China isn’t the same old Mao’s China during the Cultural Revolution, and they also wake up to the fact that they should return the lost item back to where they originally belongs. Heck the British should also return the Koh-i-Noor back to India and everything else that they have stolen back to their former colony, where they originally belong to.

[@Lost_Johnny]

China's "communist' past is less ugly than Britain's ugly colonial past, which was typified by genocide and terror.

[@user-cm2gn6fh4b]

对啊，属于我的咖啡杯我摔掉都合理合法，但另一个人非要抢走说怕我摔掉，不管他的借口是什么，都违背常识和法律。

[@pbworld7858]

India and China, as they are now known, were the two largest economies up until the moment the first English colonizers stepped on their soil.

[@time847]

True

[@johnli6430]

Thieves !

[@meeleng5909]

Take back let museum be ghost hall

[@linkhidalgogato]

very arguable, India as we know it today never existed before British rule, infact at no point in time was India unified in the entirety of its modern borders before british rule, so the point its mute, sure there were a lot of people there and they were at various points in time some of the most prosperous societies in the world but India didnt exist. and about china sure after the rise of the Qing dynasty and for a few hundred years they were by far the largest country on earth by every metric and as prosperous as a country could be, however by the time the time of the opium wars china was already in heavy decline with a calcified bureaucracy extreme levels of corruption and a very backwards government in general, i mean for fuck sakes they got macau stolen from them by the fucking portuguese even before then, to be clear european imperialism did a lot of damage (tho probably not as much as japanese imperialism) to china but the powers of europe were only able to do as much as they did because China was already weak just on its own.

[@cabasadefogo9533]

Great video Harvey! It would be amazing if UK could manage to apologize and return these stolen treasures.

[@Sean-giang]

The UK can give it to Taiwan

[@cabasadefogo9533]

@@Sean-giang LOL keep dreaming loser.

[@peekaboopeekaboo1165]

​@@Sean-giang Not. It's origins are on the Mainland...

[@Sean-giang]

@@peekaboopeekaboo1165 taiwan preserved it better than Mao and his cronies who destroyed what they had

[@kl9518]

​@@Sean-giang Do you mean The Republic of China Taiwan?

[@xrc5540]

Now you’re talking my language Harvey! More such topics and I’ll subscribe. Apart from stolen property, should France and U.K. be made to pay for rebuilding the Yuan Ming Yuan?

[@user-dd4lh1ze9v]

They stole from everybody.

[@sayaandyangsaya2756]

UK: I am the boss of the world, thief not openly take thing from other without permission.😂😂😂

[@richardong6640]

The British Museum should be renamed British Museum of Looted/Stolen Artifacts!

[@untilcrazy]

In private property law, people talk about 'title' of any objects, the rght to own, possess and enjoy the object. As said, these objects were stolen without the consent of the original owner, so they have to be sent back to the originating country without delay. The argument whether the originating country can protect them is irrelevant. Even if those items may get destroyed there, its still the business of the originating country. Getting these stolen objects is THEFT, keep them and creating excuses not to return or refusing to return them is shamelessness at the top level.

[@nova9819]

Thanks Harvey you have earned my respect for voicing out and not being biased (as you are a Brit).

[@hammylauw9574]

Dear Jarvey, you are philosophically wise, you are entitled to have a PhD of stolen historical artefacts.❤

[@sonofyoutube6248]

once a bandit , will always a bandit.. run throught british blood

[@tigading2177]

...not to mention a murderous and bloodlust nation.

[@fongcheongyat1446]

I guess the British want to remind the world that they were once the king of robbers

[@bt4993]

It is in Brits best interest to return them now

[@tedysubandy5299]

Agree.. Harvey you are smart, young and very wise 👍

[@droismark700]

Yes that’s what I was saying when I visited there everything doesn’t belong to the English. So it’s about time they give it back to who it belongs too.

[@tc-fz5qn]

There is hope yet for the world. So good and comforting to actually see and hear a young English man speaking such sense with such genuine sincerity 🥰👍🙏. It'll do well for the politicians and his government to heed such sage advice. Good on him! 🎉❤🎉

[@Harveyinchina]

Thank you

[@AllodialTitle]

Dope inc, every person in China should read it.

[@bananapeeler8797]

Thank you, Harvey, for speaking the conscience that is sorely missing in today's world.

[@krejados1]

Most of those artefacts aren't even on display for people to enjoy, anyway. At least, not all the time. Indeed, they should be repatriated rather than stored in some foreign country's vaults.

[@loktom4068]

It's under the bloody Vampire King Charlie's bed.

[@willengel2458]

the Brits should rename the British Museum to The British Loot Museum. LOL

[@debscatena]

Harvey, a link to jade teapot video would help people connect all the dots. Great video.

[@Harveyinchina]

Great point, thanks. I'll link it now

[@Lost_Johnny]

I went to the British museum with my wife, who is Chinese. She was amazed and appalled that there was so many Chinese art works there. I agree with what you are saying in this video. Actually, the British Museum had to ask Chinese experts how to preserve some ancient manuscripts as they lacked the expertise. With the current US-influenced government, which seems bent on goading and threatening China, I doubt they will give many artifacts back in the near future.

[@williemacbeth6455]

As well as returning all looted items. The Chinese should be seeking reparation from England for the destruction of the Yuan Ming Yuan palace by Anglo French military personel

[@chikichan31]

Dear Harvey, What incisive intelligence you exhibit! How I wish that many more young men had your intellectual and moral integrity! Your mindset is exemplary! Some Caucasian friends of mine had only delivered unrelenting hubris coupled with a shameless colonial mindset upon my raising of this issue. Their shameless egotism and self-serving interests know no bounds, not to mention the underlying currents of racial bigotry driving them! It is in everyone's interest for the British government to most sincerely enact upon your recommendations. Bests To You Always, Chiki CHAN. Australian Chinese. Australia.

[@chankane]

Soooo well said young man!! Bravo!!

[@cheese-df1yx]

Really great video! Full agree!

[@Harveyinchina]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@youtubetebie7799]

This content is great, thank you so much Harvey and more please 🎉🎉🎉

[@pandabearoceanpark]

Well said! Incredible essay! That’s why I keep on returning to your channel.

[@Harveyinchina]

I appreciate that!

[@Hoo88846]

Imagine a robber coming into your house and stealing all your valuables, and then building a museum to display all the stolen goods. It’s just blatant shamelessness. Theft and robbery should be punished at least by returning all the goods to those stolen, instead of euphemising with this rhetoric “your valuables are better preserved at my home”. 😂😂😂😂

[@Harveyinchina]

Thanks for watching! Don't forget to like and subscribe. Here is a link to the British Museum video that has blown up on Chinese social media www.bilibili.com/video/BV1qm4y1T7qp/?spm_id_from=333.999.0.0&vd_source=6299b2f96a12a0cf89ed840b45a4ab4f

[@donlod322]

You earn my highest respect, Harvey. Iam an Asia living in southeast Asia...I would love to see you or people like you as the future England's PM!!!

[@tao2869]

So to your first argument: "Items are safer in Britisch museum because terrorists would destroy them". Then I can just go to a country, overthrow their government with some made up excuse or a bag of laundry detergent, declaring anyone still fighting as terrorists, and then take everything valuable with me because its "safer" with me. Come on.

[@aaronsutton9924]

Important information ..never knew it ...

[@ejcc323]

Harvey really appreciate your effort, but honest the poms will never return these stolen artifacts to all the countries of origin. The arguments to keep these cultural items in the UK are super pathetic and they are just the imperial relics of the Great Britian fans.

[@maanviss3840]

Agree, Chinese artifact should be returned to China. It's more safe now in it's own country than in Britain. For others maybe can still keep in Britain, until situation is more better. but the British Museum has to bring some compensation according to the country where it come from. 😅😅😅

[@estchu]

You speak the truth.

[@iechuanlee9326]

Thanks Harvey for highlighting this issue. There are lots of stolen items from the world that are kept in the basement of the museums, stately homes, etc. not accessible to the public. Some items stored in the museum were stolen by the internal workers reported a few months ago. It's best to return them back to where they come from.

[@LW78321]

Well said, Harvey! Their arguments for keeping the stolen treasures are so invalid in this day and age

[@Harveyinchina]

So invalid

[@yc-tai]

Cut the rhetoric, stolen items? Just return them to the rightful owner countries....

[@fffdcfg]

Thanks

[@captnjaygreybeard6394]

Each country should own their own national treasures.

[@Harveyinchina]

Agreed

[@Emphasis213]

so i can steal someones car if i have a safer, better and more accessible place to house it?

[@bombasticborneo]

What a statement, awesome. Pls show us more👏🏿👏🏿😍😍

[@yaloytv6913]

British Museum is an iconic product of loot artifacts. They display it on their museum for tourist view making revenue. See the greed of Brits???

[@Lonelyheart1776]

The British were good at creating names like COMMONWEALTH during the colonial days. Those countries that they colonized were made to accept that their wealth also belonged to the British, be it historical artifacts, land, labour, and natural resources stolen and exploited. That’s why they called them the commonwealth countries. Your wealth, your resources, your entire country belonged to the British Empire.

[@ric6074]

The loots is proven evident that they are the robbers and thieves.

[@hentaioverwhelming]

The worst thing about the British Museum is that there is even a LAW that the British Parliament passed (The British Museum Act of 1963) which expressly forbade the repatriation of the looted artifacts that currently reside in the British Museum.

[@proxxymax6814]

Great video! If the UK gov wants to keep the artifacts, she should seek the original country's consent; otherwise return them all. Or they can sign an exchange policy to have these artifacts displayed for a period of time in each other's museums, to help us know more of our civilization. For those that are in warring or unstable regions, these artifacts should be kept and sanctioned by an international consortium to protect our human civilization proof, not under the sole reasoning of the UK. I believe most of us just want to acknowledge the bloodied past, and move towards better international harmony and understanding, for all mankind. Peace.

[@cheekiat8362]

No matter what these are stolen goods n should be returned to the owners.

[@Harveyinchina]

Agreed

[@mizzypoo4827]

Many years ago, i remember a Wealth Chinese Businessman, bought at AUCTION a tiny Emperor tea cup (can't remember which Dynasty?) he paid over 50-millions $ for it.. i thought how INSANE to even paid that much for a tiny cup, even of historical value..... 😲 In fact he shouldn't had to pay a penny for it...Its a piece of History belonging to the People of China..it the same case with other stolen TREASURES & ARTIFACTS for many other countries....... Also a few years ago, during an important Trade deal between China & Germany, I am sure..? some STOLEN items was RETURNED.. not sure it was just a token gesture, I wonder if there's more hidden in private collection& in museum vaults..🤔

[@TruthWarrior144]

King Charlie the worthless and the Grand Thief!

[@OP-mz3hr]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and your message to promote better international relations. You are a treasure too! :)

[@Harveyinchina]

Thank you

[@christianyang7595]

Thank you brother

[@eddharm7329]

It is the right time and the right man, mr Sunak as Brits PM just start with “so many things” originated from India ..for starting point

[@avidmisreader]

Entities that help destabilize other entities should be allowed to look after their valuables because they’re more stable? Just leave them alone and give them their valuables back…

[@litesp]

The days of might makes right should end.

[@u2ber888]

Not just artefacts. Taxes, labors and resources were all stolen during colonial time. That's why most of the colonised countries with stolen resources and taxes remain poor.

[@Harveyinchina]

True. Just look at Africa and Niger

[@williamedwardhackman4695]

I agree with you on that. The Bible says that stealing is wrong anyway.

[@leewie9085]

Tq from an overseas Chinese for saying what is right. I am afraid theives will be theives as can be seen from the recent events in Niger n Gabon in Africa. Where is the THOU SHALL NOT STEAL N DO NOT DO TO OTHERS WHAT YOU DO NOT LIKE TO BE DONE UNTO THYSELF. They do understand the word RETRIBUTIONS. What goes around comes around.

[@Harveyinchina]

Worried for Niger’s future. I hope it’s bright

[@Anonymous------]

During USA and NATO invasion of Iraq, their militaries included the British, intentionally use bombs to destroy ancient artifacts in Iraq, many very important biblical era historical artifacts are gone forever.

[@anupamsircar111]

The frequency of such thefts will go up as the demand for the return of these items becomes stronger and stronger.

[@level1selamat155]

Warehouse of loots and booty, plundering and pillaging!

[@sinnieleeonUtube]

Let them stay there as proof that their ancestors were pirates and thieves all over the world. If they return them, they can later deny their crimes.

[@theresaleung823]

A beautiful dream.

[@bk3289]

If British starts returning every stolen artifact there will be nothing left to see in the British Museum 😅

[@tandennis5817]

China should thank the museum for showcasing Chinese heritage to the world and should also claim compensation for tickets paid over the centuries for the stolen items

[@Harveyinchina]

They deserve compensation and their items returned

[@steelydan1242]

About time these looted ancient artifacts and treasures should be returned to their rightful country.

[@Harveyinchina]

Agreed

[@iScoopyPal]

One more thing I want to mention is that people in general are good and appreciate artifacts of the past regardless of the origin. In our current timeline, the leaders of the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, the USA, and others despise the so-called third-world countries yet cling to their artifacts and natural resources. The colonist mentality that dictated, lectured, and exploited others has to come to an end. For instance, currently, Macron from France is a good example of savagery in the worst form. This is 2023, and this kind of behavior is not acceptable. If he continues like this, his colonial head will be separated from his body by the bullied countries.

[@axli13]

Wise words from a very wise gentlemen from uk. I strongly believe that all nations around the world can work together for the betterment of mankind. And we should never never share the same hegemonic mentality of usa.

[@Harveyinchina]

True 🙌

[@sktan3743]

Retaining stolen goods is a crime according to common laws. It is a question of ownership and nothing repeat nothing else. One interim solution was to negotiate for the artifacts to continue to be exhibited at British Museum but UK must pay an acceptable lease fees or split the revenue etc for a specified period. The ultimate solution is to return all items to their rightful owners. No argument of safety or adequate curatorial competency can legally confer on UK a rightful ownership. It is a humiliation for countries to see its rare treasures being looted and openly exhibited. It will be distasteful if all the claimants jointly and severally institute legal action for the recovery of the loots or impose economic sanctions on UK..

[@AbuSabak77]

Which thief will feel guilty? They proudly displayed the stolen goods and they Name them under the name "museum"? ~ very civilised mentality

[@charliely1833]

I agree.

[@loadingnewads]

You found the funniest XinJinping photo😂 Literally lmao

[@hannibalyin8853]

you earned my sub simply for this video.

[@philiptam7208]

What you don't see means it's doesn't happened britist was hired by china to salvage a ship with china treasures but the treasures on that ship was stolen by the bristist gov's due to the britist court decision

[@siokliengliem3016]

It is well said❤👍

[@Harveyinchina]

Thanks

[@delltellegen5646]

Totally agree with you. Very well said.

[@Harveyinchina]

Thanks!

[@riojoe5156]

If Russia decides to start a nuclear war, I bet England will be the first place gets hit. Safe my bottom!

[@michael511128]

The British has already lost its Empire where the Sun Never Sets. The art works are all they have to show their kids how Anglo Saxon is the supreme race. Trophies are symbols of Royalty which still live in palaces. Not just the British Museum, plenty in US museums too. BTW, regions susceptible to wars and terrorism are created by CIA and MI6 for the most part, Ukraine is a live example.

[@MrGuit12]

Many visitors to the western museums shed tears .... and angry at the thieves.

[@Harveyinchina]

It’s a sad place

[@thomaslau1214]

Not stolen. robbed with force.

[@yulfanstill]

So moved by your reasoning. So true and just

[@Harveyinchina]

Thanks

[@jkchia4922]

It’s always good to do the right things Hopefully more British people can think like you

[@Harveyinchina]

I hope so

[@limmengkoon619]

Stolen treasures cannot be justified as spoils of wars. Colonies were invaded by Britain, and they were fighting wars of resistance to resist invasions. They were not waging wars on Britain.

[@jng4880]

Wasn’t the Summer Palace in Beijing destroyed and looted by the Western countries?