Two among the 41 cultural relics that are set to return to China from the US.  Photos: Courtesy of National Cultural Heritage Administration

As dawn cast its early light over Beijing on Tuesday, an ocean away in Manhattan, New York City, representatives from China and the US signed a historic agreement. 

Forty-one lost Chinese cultural artifacts were formally repatriated to the Chinese side by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, marking a milestone in cross-border cultural heritage cooperation.  

The signing ceremony brimmed with solemnity as the delegates exchanged handshakes. 

Luo Wenli, deputy director of China's National Cultural Heritage ­Administration (NCHA) and the Chinese representative emphasized the importance of the occasion on the spot, stating that preventing illegal relic trafficking and promoting their return is a just cause that protects ­cultural heritage and human ­civilization. 

"This return represents another key collaboration between China and the US, following the renewal of their intergovernmental memorandum of understanding (MoU) in 2024," Luo told the Global Times.

Luo's US counterpart, Matthew Bogdanos, chief of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, also stressed the need for collaborative efforts in returning cultural relics, according to a press release the NCHA sent to the Global Times.

Bogdanos said that just as in the Olympics, differences and prejudices should be set aside to work toward a shared objective, and he is delighted to return the 41 precious cultural relics and artworks to China.

Huo Zhengxin, a law professor at the China University of Political Science and Law, told the Global Times that such bilateral cooperation is vital.

"In the ­current context of China-US relations, such cooperation in cultural relics return is particularly valuable," he told the Global Times.

One among the 41 cultural relics that are set to return to China from the US. Photo: Courtesy of NCHA

Greater social significance 

On the scene, the returned Chinese cultural relics were neatly displayed on three tables. 

The types of artifacts were diverse, ranging from pottery, jade and bronzes, to Buddhist statues, portrait bricks and Tibetan Buddhist artifacts.

The NCHA noted that the artifacts include a bronze "money tree" with a ceramic base, a plain pottery tripod, a plain-lidded bronze vessel and a pottery figurine of a storyteller, among others. 

Preliminary image identification and legal analysis by experts indicate the cultural and artistic artifacts date from the Neolithic period to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), encompassing a rich variety and exquisite craftsmanship, and hold certain historical, artistic and scientific value. 

According to the NCHA, these were identified as Chinese cultural and artistic artifacts that were illegally brought overseas.

In November 2024, the NCHA learned through the Chinese Consulate General in New York that the Manhattan District Attorney's Office had seized 41 suspected lost Chinese cultural and artistic artifacts during an investigation.

Upon receiving this information, the NCHA initiated verification and related work, closely collaborating with the Chinese Consulate General in New York, and with the cooperation of US departments, successfully facilitated the return of these artifacts.

After accepting the artifacts in New York, the NCHA will oversee their repatriation to China in due course, followed by coordinated public engagement and plans to exhibit them, according to the NCHA.

Liu Zheng, a member of the Chinese Society of Cultural Relics, told the Global Times that the cultural relics being returned this time indeed have archaeological research value, with a wide variety of types, exquisite craftsmanship and a long timeline spanning nearly 10,000 years. 

Liu pointed out that their social significance is even greater. 

"This has substantial implications for combating the illegal trafficking of cultural heritage, for the return of relics, and for enhancing cultural cooperation between China and the US," Liu said.

One among the 41 cultural relics that are set to return to China from the US. Photo: Courtesy of NCHA

Example for international cooperation

Behind this diplomatic triumph lies the unyielding mechanism of the 2009 US-China MoU on preventing illicit cultural property trafficking. 

On January 14, 2009, China and the US signed their first intergovernmental MoU to prevent the illegal entry of Chinese cultural relics into the US, which was subsequently renewed in 2014, 2019 and 2024. 

Since the signing of the memorandum, the two sides have successfully facilitated the return of 20 batches totaling 594 pieces or sets of lost cultural and artistic artifacts from the US to China, according to the NCHA.

"The return of these artifacts has not only boosted national pride but also enhanced public awareness of cultural heritage protection," Huo said.

"The new amendments to China's Cultural Relics Protection Law, which came into effect on March 1, further strengthen the legal foundation for China's efforts in artifact repatriation and international cooperation," he added.

He noted that as the world's most important bilateral relationship, US-China collaboration in cultural heritage protection and combating illicit artifact trafficking can set an example for international efforts.

The news has garnered significant attention on Chinese social media platforms, with the related hashtag topping the trending topics on the X-like Sina Weibo. 

Many Chinese netizens on Weibo are calling for overseas cultural ­institutions, such as the British Museum, to return looted Chinese cultural relics.

However, Chang Qing, a professor at the College of Arts, Sichuan University, told the Global Times that the recovery of cultural relics looted before a 1970 UNESCO convention on preventing illicit transfer of cultural property had proven to be a significant challenge due to the absence of legal restrictions. 

"The recovery of these cultural relics relies on the willingness of both parties," said Chang, who has worked at several museums and galleries in the US. 

Chang also noted that some artifacts remain in the hands of private collectors and have not been publicly identified, making their return more difficult.