14 pieces of illegally exported relics returned by Argentina to China

(Photo/WeChat account of China's National Cultural Heritage Administration)

A total of 14 ancient relics, including a frog-shaped bronze artifact, have recently been returned by Argentina to China.

On Thursday, a handover ceremony was held at the Chinese Embassy in Argentina, where Chinese Ambassador to Argentina Wang Wei received these artifacts from representatives of Argentine official bodies, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This batch of cultural relics comprises items such as three pottery statues and a bronze helmet dating back to the Han Dynasty (206BC-AD220) and the Southern and Northern Dynasties (386-589). It also includes seven bronze bells from the Spring and Autumn Period (770BC-476BC).

These cultural objects were seized by the cultural heritage protection division of the Argentine Federal Police in 2017, with significant support from an international operation codenamed Athena, aimed at combating the illicit trafficking of cultural objects.