Italy agrees to return nearly 800 Chinese cultural relics in goodwill gesture during Xi Jinping visit
- It comes as Italy and China seek to strengthen relations, and after Italy becomes first Western European nation to join China’s belt and road plan
- Artefacts had been ‘illegally exported’ and include a Majiayao red clay pot and Song dynasty porcelain
The agreement to hand over 796 Chinese relics that had been “illegally exported” to Italy from China – including a Majiayao red clay pot and Song dynasty porcelain – was signed by Italy’s Minister of Cultural Heritage and Activities Alberto Bonisoli and his Chinese counterpart Luo Shugang on Friday. Bonisoli and Luo also discussed deepening bilateral cultural cooperation and fighting the illicit relic trade.
“We are proud to be able to return these pieces to our friends, as they are representative of the heritage and identity of the Chinese people,” Bonisoli said, according to a statement from the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities.
The return of the relics to China was ordered by the Court of Milan in November after a complex legal case over ownership of the pieces, the ministry said.
Beijing has long sought the repatriation of stolen or smuggled Chinese cultural artefacts held abroad, launching high-profile campaigns in recent years to do so.
The latest move, hailed by Chinese media as the largest return of Chinese relics in two decades, came as the two countries signed 29 agreements during Xi’s state visit, notably including a memorandum of understanding for cooperation on the belt and road plan.