Professor Ruan Yisan, director of the State Institute of Famous Historical and Cultural Cities with Shanghai-based Tongji University, said "Yuanmingyuan took 150 years to build. It cannot be recreated in five or ten years."

"The present-day ruins are testimony to that period of history. The replica is unnecessary," Ruan insisted.

"It would be better to spend the money on ancient cultural heritage sites which are in dire need of protection or build some modern mansions blended with aspects of ancient Chinese architecture."

"If the replica is billed as a tourist attraction, it might lose a lot of money, given the huge funds needed for its construction," he said.

China has 2,500 such tourist sites, with an investment of 150 billion yuan (18.75 billion U.S. dollars). Only ten percent of them are profitable.