US Returns Six Smuggled Terracotta Figures to China

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, June 18, 2003

US Returns Six Smuggled Terracotta Figures to China

Six ancient Chinese terracotta figures smuggled to the United States were returned to China by US law enforcement officials at a ceremony in the Chinese Consulate General Tuesday.

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Six ancient Chinese terracotta figures smuggled to the United States were returned to China by US law enforcement officials at a ceremony in the Chinese Consulate General Tuesday.

Speaking at the ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Yang Jiechi said the return of the terracotta figures, dated to Western Han Dynasty, indicated that the dynamic cooperation between China and the United States in law enforcement is really developing in depth and width.

He noted that cooperation between law enforcement authorities of the two countries constitutes an important part of their bilateral ties, and has yielded positive results, citing the recent uncovering of a transnational drug smuggling gang.

"The crackdown of cross-border crimes is in the interest of the two countries, and cooperation between their law enforcers in greater depth and width will have positive impacts on Sino-US relations of constructive cooperation," he said.

He expressed the hope that the two countries would further their cooperation in law enforcement and other fields.

Martin Ficke, special agent in charge from the Department of Home Security, New York office described the return of ancient Chinese cultural relics as "yet another example of what cooperative law enforcement can produce."

"We would continue in the future and we look forward to continuing joint endeavor, joint investigations, " he added.

The six terracotta figures were stolen in March 2002 by grave robbers from a tomb of a princess in the Western Han Dynasty (206BC-24AD) in western Chinese city of Xi'an. Six terracotta figures were smuggled to the United States and slated for a Sotheby's auction the same month. Thanks to the joint efforts by law enforcers of the two countries, these cultural relics were withheld from auction and returned to China.

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