The U.S. side returned 38 pieces of Chinese cultural objects to the Chinese side on April 17.

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.

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.