Six ancient Chinese terracotta figures smuggled to the United
States were returned to China by US law enforcement officials at a
ceremony in the Chinese Consulate General on Tuesday.
Speaking at the ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to the United States
Yang Jiechi said the return of the terracotta figures, dated to the
Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 24), indicated that dynamic
cooperation between China and the United States in law enforcement
is really developing in depth and width.
He
noted cooperation between law enforcement authorities of the two
countries constitutes an important part of their bilateral ties,
and has yielded positive results, citing the recent uncovering of a
transnational drug smuggling gang.
"The crackdown of cross-border crimes is in the interest of the two
countries, and cooperation between their law enforcers in greater
depth and width will have positive impacts on Sino-US relations of
constructive cooperation," he said.
He
expressed the hope the two countries would further their
cooperation in law enforcement and other fields.
Martin Ficke, special agent in charge from the Department of Home
Security, New York office, described the return of ancient Chinese
cultural relics as "yet another example of what cooperative law
enforcement can produce."
"We will continue in the future and we look forward to continuing
joint endeavors, joint investigations," he added.
The six terracotta figures were stolen in March 2002 by grave
robbers from a tomb of a princess of the Western Han Dynasty in the
western Chinese city of Xi'an.
The terracotta figures were slated for a Sotheby's auction the same
month. Owing to the joint efforts by law enforcers of the two
countries, these cultural relics were withheld from auction and
returned to China.
(Xinhua News Agency June 19, 2003)