China's State Administration of Cultural Heritage, has condemned the Christie's auction house sale of Chinese relics that took place Wednesday in Paris.

The administration said China does not acknowledge the "illegal possession" of the two sculptures, and would "continue to seek the return of the sculptures by all means necessary in accordance with international conventions and Chinese laws."

The bronze rat and rabbit sculptures were auctioned off for 14 million euros apiece to anonymous telephone bidders.

Western media reports say Thomas Seydoux, a Christie's employee and an expert in Impressionist and modern art, purchased both of the scultures.

Anglo-French forces looted the sculptures 150 years ago when they burned down the royal garden of Yuanmingyuan, or the Old Summer Palace, in Beijing.

Zong Tianliang is director of Yuanmingyuan. "We don't condone the holders of the lost Yuanmingyuan relics using the emotions of the Chinese people to drive up the auction price of the relics. They are using the name of the Yuanmingyuan to leverage sky-high prices for stolen relics."

Chinese people reacted strongly to news of the auction."These were originally China's national treasures. What right do they have to auction them overseas? "

"We feel a great loss because of this, you know, because these are Chinese cultural relics and now they are stuck overseas, so we are really sad about this."

Earlier this week, a team of 81 Chinese lawyers wrote to Christie's in an effort to stop the sale.

They also attempted to get a French court to halt the auction, but the court ruled against the bid.