U.S. returns 38 cultural objects to China

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Chinese cultural objects returned to China by the United States, April 17, 2024. /China Media Group

Chinese cultural object returned to China by the United States, April 17, 2024. /China Media Group

Chinese cultural objects returned to China by the United States, April 17, 2024. /China Media Group

The U.S. returned 38 Chinese cultural objects to China on Wednesday.

The Manhattan District Attorney's Office handed over the cultural objects to a delegation from China's National Cultural Heritage Administration at a handover ceremony at the Chinese Consulate General in New York.

Based on preliminary evaluation, experts said that most of the objects are Tibetan Buddhist cultural relics from China during the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911 AD), involving pagodas, Buddha statues, Buddhist ornaments and other categories.

With materials ranging from copper to ivory and wood, those well-preserved cultural relics have important historical, artistic and scientific value, the experts added.

China and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that aims to prevent the illegal importation of Chinese cultural artifacts into the United States on January 14, 2009. The MoU was extended in 2014 and 2019 respectively.

A total of 504 Chinese cultural relics were returned to China in 15 patches from January 14, 2019 to January 14, 2024.

The MoU's validity has been extended for a third time, starting from January 14 this year.

(With input from Xinhua)