The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural relics to the Chinese side on Wednesday.
At a handover ceremony held at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office handed the cultural objects over to a delegation from China's National Cultural Heritage Administration.
This cultural objects are mainly Buddhist antiques from the Ming Dynasty(1368-1644) and Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), including pagodas, statues and accessories made of copper, clay, ivory, wood and other materials. All these antiques are well preserved and of significant historical, artistic and scientific values.
China and the United States signed a memorandum of understanding that aims to prevent the illegal importation of Chinese cultural artifacts into the United States in January 2009. Its validity has been extended for the third time, starting from January 14 this year.
US returns 38 pieces of cultural relics to China
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship of Argentina Diana Mondino on Tuesday in Beijing.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China is willing to take the opportunity of the 10th anniversary of the establishment of China-Argentina comprehensive strategic partnership this year, to jointly grasp the direction of bilateral relations, inject more certainty into the two sides' cooperation in various fields, and open up new prospects for the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
The two sides should continue to cherish and consolidate political mutual trust, understand and support each other on issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns, and advance cooperation, he said.
China is willing to work with Argentina and other Latin American and Caribbean countries to promote the building of China-Latin America relations in the new era featuring equality, mutual benefit, innovation and openness which will benefit the people, strengthen coordination and cooperation under multilateral frameworks such as the United Nations and G20, and safeguard the common interests of developing countries, Wang said.
Mondino noted that no matter how Argentina's internal political situation changes, its friendly policy toward China will not change. Argentina is willing to deepen cooperation with China under the framework of the CELAC-China Forum, keep close communication and coordination within multilateral mechanisms, and safeguard world peace and promote sustainable development, Mondino said.
Top Chinese diplomat holds talks with Argentina's foreign minister
