China News Service, New York, April 17 (Reporter Liao Pan) The State Administration of Cultural Heritage of China received 38 cultural relics and artworks returned to China by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office in New York at the Chinese Consulate General in New York on April 17. Li Qun, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China and Director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, Huang Ping, Consul General of the People's Republic of China in New York, and Matthew Bogdanos, Head of the Illicit Trafficking Unit of the Manhattan District Attorney's Office in New York, attended the ceremony and delivered speeches.
On April 17, local time, the ceremony for the return and transfer of Chinese cultural relics was held at the Chinese Consulate General in New York in Manhattan, New York, and the Manhattan District Attorney's Office handed over 38 pieces of seized Chinese lost cultural relics and artworks to the Chinese government. Li Qun, Vice Minister of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China and Director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, and Matthew Bogdanos, Head of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit of the Manhattan District Attorney's Office in New York, signed the relevant documents. Photo by China News Service reporter Liao Pan
Li Qun said that the cooperation between China and the United States in the return of cultural relics once again marks that the two sides are moving in the same direction and trusting each other in the recovery and return of cultural relics. China will continue to actively implement the China-US Intergovernmental Memorandum of Understanding on Preventing Chinese Cultural Relics from Illegally Entering the United States, establish and improve the information reporting mechanism for stolen cultural relics with the United States, and contribute the wisdom and strength of the two countries to ensure the safety of cultural relics and promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.
On April 17, local time, the ceremony for the return and handover of Chinese cultural relics was held at the Chinese Consulate General in New York in Manhattan, New York. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office in New York handed over 38 pieces of seized Chinese cultural relics and artworks to the Chinese government. The picture shows the U.S. staff placing fragments of murals and other cultural relics. Photo by China News Service reporter Liao Pan
Huang Ping pointed out that this cooperation is a manifestation of the positive implementation of the "San Francisco Vision" agreed by the two heads of state, and will greatly enhance the cultural exchanges between China and the United States and the friendship between the two peoples. This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the United States, and we hope that people of insight from all walks of life in China and the United States will continue to work together to promote the stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-US relations.
According to Matthew Bogdanos, cultural heritage has the power to bring people together and bridge differences. The United States is willing to work with China to protect the common cultural heritage of mankind and promote the common goal of returning lost cultural relics.
On April 17, local time, the ceremony for the return and transfer of Chinese cultural relics was held at the Chinese Consulate General in New York in Manhattan, New York, and the Manhattan District Attorney's Office handed over 38 pieces of seized Chinese lost cultural relics and artworks to the Chinese government. The picture shows the bronze gilt statue of Shengle King Kong returned by the United States. Photo by China News Service reporter Liao Pan
It is reported that most of the 38 pieces of Chinese cultural relics and artworks returned this time are Chinese Tibetan Buddhist cultural relics, the era is from the Yuan to the Ming and Qing dynasties, the categories are rich, the craftsmanship is exquisite, and the ivory carving, wood carving works and mural fragments are relatively rare, and have important historical, artistic and scientific value. In March of this year, it was seized by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office in New York. The State Administration of Cultural Heritage of China attached great importance to the news and carried out verification and other related work as soon as possible, and worked closely with the Chinese Consulate General in New York to successfully return the cultural relics with the cooperation of the functional departments of the United States. After receiving the above-mentioned cultural relics in New York, the State Administration of Cultural Heritage of China will arrange for the return of the cultural relics in due course.
Since January 14, 2009, when China and the United States signed the first intergovernmental memorandum of understanding to prevent Chinese cultural relics from illegally entering the United States, China and the United States have successfully achieved the return of 15 batches of 504 pieces of cultural relics and artworks to China. This return is the first successful cooperation between Chinese and U.S. government departments on the return of cultural relics since the extension of the U.S.-China Memorandum of Understanding in January 2024. (ENDS)