STORY: U.S. returns 38 pieces of cultural objects to China, fostering deeper cultural exchanges
SHOOTING TIME: April 17, 2024
DATELINE: April 18, 2024
LENGTH: 00:01:43
LOCATION: NEW YORK, U.S.
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. STANDUP (English): XIE E, Xinhua correspondent
2. various of cultural objects
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): LI QUN, China's Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism and head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): HUANG PING, Chinese Consul General in New York
5. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): MATTHEW BOGDANOS, Chief of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office
6. various of the handover ceremony

STORYLINE:

STANDUP (English): XIE E, Xinhua correspondent
"The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on Wednesday. At a handover ceremony at the Chinese Consulate General in New York, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office handed over the cultural objects to a delegation from China's National Cultural Heritage Administration."

The hand-over ceremony was attended by Li Qun, China's Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism and head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, along with Chinese Consul General in New York Huang Ping, and Matthew Bogdanos, Chief of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): LI QUN, China's Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism and head of the National Cultural Heritage Administration
"The renewed cooperation between China and the United States in cultural relic returns signifies mutual trust and progress in artifact repatriation efforts."

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): HUANG PING, Chinese Consul General in New York
"This year marks the 45th anniversary of (the establishment of) the China-U.S. diplomatic relations. At this juncture, we need to do whatever we can to add more energy and momentum to boost this relationship and to build up this relationship into a healthy, stable and sustainable one."

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): MATTHEW BOGDANOS, Chief of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office
"We have far more in common when we roll up our sleeves and get to work, returning these antiquities where they belong because that's our only goal.
For cultural heritage, what it does is it brings us all together, and all the differences melt away when we consider the shared cultural heritage of all humanity."

Most of the 38 pieces of cultural relics returned Wednesday are Tibetan Buddhist artifacts from China, dating from the Yuan to Ming and Qing dynasties, with a rich variety and exquisite craftsmanship.

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.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from New York, U.S.
(XHTV)