Key facts
- The U.S. returned 64 smuggled artifacts to China.
- The artifacts are thousands of years old.
- The return is seen as a diplomatic gesture before a meeting between leaders of the two countries.
The United States has handed over 64 smuggled artifacts to China, a move that comes as part of a diplomatic effort ahead of a planned meeting between the leaders of the two nations. The artifacts, which are thousands of years old, were recovered through U.S. law enforcement efforts.
The repatriation of cultural heritage items is often a point of discussion in diplomatic relations between countries, with nations seeking the return of items believed to have been illegally removed from their territories.