Beijing protests Taiwan art exhibit at the AGNSW

Beijing has formally protested the exhibition of Chinese artworks from a renowned Taiwan museum, at the NSW Art Gallery.

A Qing dynasty curiosity box is just one of the treasures from the National Palace Museum, Taiwan, on display at the NSW Art Gallery.

A Chinese art exhibition sponsored by Taiwan’s world renowned ­National Palace Museum has been the subject of a formal protest by Chinese government officials as part of Beijing’s long-running campaign to diplomatically isolate the island nation.

The Weekend Australian can reveal that officials from the Chinese consulate in Sydney met NSW Arts Minister Don Harwin to formally protest the Heaven and earth in Chinese art exhibition, on show at the Art Gallery of NSW in Sydney.

The exhibition boasts 87 pieces from the National Palace Museum, considered by connoisseurs to be a treasure-trove of Chinese and other Asian art.

But it is also a long-running point of friction between Beijing and Taiwan, which the Chinese Communist Party regards as a rogue province.

It is understood Mr Harwin met Chinese consul general Gu Xiaojie at his ministerial offices in Sydney on January 9, a few weeks ahead of the exhibition’s formal launch last weekend.

The Weekend Australian has been told the officials registered their displeasure at the exhibition, claiming many of the artworks featured originated in mainland China and had been taken to ­Taiwan during China’s civil war between the communists and the nationalist Kuomintang, who fled to Taiwan.

The exhibition features paintings, calligraphy, bronzes, ceramics and jade and wood carvings. It is the first time the collection has toured the southern hemisphere.

The officials did not ask for the exhibition to be cancelled, ­although it is understood they questioned why the government and the gallery were dealing with Taiwan, which Australia does not recognise as a sovereign state.

A spokeswoman for the ­Chinese embassy said: “The Chinese consulate general in Sydney has stated its position on the exhibition-related issues to the relevant parties in NSW.”

A spokesman for Mr Harwin confirmed the meeting took place.

‘’The minister met with his excellency Gu Xiaojie, consul general PRC in early January. At no stage was a request made for the minister to intervene and stop the exhibition from proceeding.’’

It is understood the NSW Art Gallery was also approached, causing considerable consternation among gallery management. The approach by the Chinese consul general was treated “very seriously” at the gallery, with discussions reaching the gallery’s trust, which is chaired by banker David Gonski. The exhibition had been several years in the planning and was not in jeopardy, according to a gallery source.

The gallery supports the One China policy and this was communicated to the Chinese authorities.

NSW Gallery director Michael Brand declined to discuss details, saying only that gallery staff ­“liaised with many stakeholders about (its) exhibitions over many years, including the Chinese consulate general, and recently about the current exhibition of 87 masterworks”.

Australian academic Chongyi Feng said it was routine for the consulate to try to “shut down’’ any formal acknowledgment of Taiwan. “In the past they were very arrogant but now they know the environment has changed,’’ he told The Weekend Australian.