The National Cutural Heritage Administration of China received 41 cultural relics and artworks returned by the United States at the prosecutor's office in Manhattan, New York on the 3rd. This is a partial collection of cultural relics and artworks (collage photos) returned to our country by the Manhattan District Prosecutor's Office in New York, USA. Xinhua News Agency (photo provided by the National Cutural Heritage Administration of China) Luo Wenli, Deputy Director of the National Cutural Heritage Administration, said at the return and handover ceremony that preventing and combating illegal trafficking in cultural relics and promoting the return of lost cultural relics to their countries of origin are just actions to safeguard the safety of cultural relics of all countries, respect the cultural rights and interests and national feelings of people of all countries, and safeguard the achievements of human civilization. This return is the first achievement of the cooperation on the return of lost cultural relics between China and the United States in 2025, and it is of great significance. Chinese Consul General in New York, Chen Li, stated that China and the United States share extensive common interests and broad cooperation space, and can become partners and friends, achieve mutual success, and prosper together. China US cooperation can accomplish things, do good things, and do great things, benefiting both countries and the world. We are willing to take this return as an opportunity to continue deepening cooperation between the two sides in various fields. Matthew Bogdanos, the head of the Department of Combating Illegal Trafficking in Cultural Relics at the Manhattan District Prosecutor's Office in New York, said, "In the field of returning lost cultural relics, we need to abandon differences and prejudices like we did in the Olympics, and constantly strive for a common goal. Today, it is gratifying to be able to return 41 precious cultural relics and artworks to their original country of China." The 41 cultural relics and artworks that were returned this time were seized by the Manhattan District Prosecutor's Office in November 2024, including jade, pottery, porcelain, bronze ware, architectural components, wooden carvings, stone carvings, copper statues, etc., with a wide variety of types, diverse materials, and a long span of time, and have certain historical and artistic value. After receiving the batch of cultural relics and works of art in New York, the National Cutural Heritage Administration will arrange the return transportation in due time and coordinate the follow-up publicity and display work. Since the signing of the first intergovernmental memorandum of understanding between China and the United States on January 14, 2009 to prevent the illegal entry of Chinese cultural relics into the United States, cooperation has successfully achieved the return of 594 pieces/sets of cultural relics and artworks lost to the United States in 20 batches to China. (New Society)