Official records from U.S. and Chinese cultural heritage authorities

U.S. Returns 38 Chinese Cultural Artifacts; Reinforces Bilateral Cooperation

Apr 18, 2024, 12:37 AM

In a notable act of international cooperation, the United States returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to China during a handover ceremony held at the Chinese Consulate General in New York. The event, which took place on Wednesday, is part of the ongoing efforts under the China-U.S. Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2009 aimed at preventing the illegal importation of Chinese cultural artifacts into the U.S. This agreement has been extended for the third time, reflecting continued collaboration between the two nations. The returned items include significant Tibetan Buddhist artifacts from the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. Following the ceremony, a spokesperson from the Chinese Foreign Ministry highlighted the importance of refining the information-sharing mechanism on stolen relics and supporting people-to-people exchanges and friendship between the two countries.