Incensed by the looting and sale of cultural artifacts found in the South China Sea, China became determined to develop its own underwater archaeological research capabilities. Yu Weichao, then head of the National Museum of Chinese History (now the National Museum of China), heard the call and took action. Doing underwater archaeology
受不了南海文物被外國盜賣的刺激，「中國必須發展自己的水下考古，」拍賣會結束後，當年應邀來台開會的中國歷史博物館（現中國國家博物館）館長俞偉超，振臂疾呼。