流失英國25年的68件走私文物成功回國

The cultural relics date from the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC) to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), encompassing a variety of items, mainly ceramics. They are from provinces including Jiangxi, Anhui, Fujian, Henan, Shaanxi, Hebei and Guizhou.

這些文物時間跨度從春秋到清代，質地多爲陶瓷，地域分佈江西、安徽、福建、河南、陝西、河北、貴州等。

Their return brings an end to a quarter-century of China's efforts to retrieve lost cultural relics from overseas, said Guan Qiang, deputy director of the administration.

國家文物局副局長關強表示，這批文物的迴歸，爲中國政府持續25年的跨國文物追索行動畫上圓滿句號。

British police seized all the items in an operation that March. They were later identified by NCHA personnel as lost cultural relics of , the State Council, China's Cabinet, set up a special cross-departmental working group to bring them home.

當年3月，英警方截獲扣押大量文物。國家文物局確認爲走私中國文物。在國務院統一部署下，多部門組成“追索英警方查扣走私中國文物工作小組”。

In 1998, over 3,000 relics were returned to China after cooperation by law enforcement units, a lawsuit and negotiations.

1998年，經過執法部門的合作、訴訟及談判，3000餘件返還文物回國。

However, a local buyer of dozens of remaining relics refused to take part in negotiations, and the civil dispute dragged on after hitting a deadlock. The 68 relics remained impounded by British police.

但該案中一名文物購買人拒絕參與協商談判，民事訴訟陷入僵局，涉案的68件文物一直被英警方扣押。

In January, the Metropolitan Police informed the Chinese embassy that the deadline for prosecution in the case had passed, but the whereabouts of the buyer were unknown. The police showed a willingness to return the items to China.

2020年1月，倫敦大都會警察局聯繫中國駐英使館，告知因購買人去向不明，且扣押時間超過追訴期，主動提出希望將該批文物歸還中國政府。

The Metropolitan Police Service handed the artifacts to the Chinese embassy in October.

2020年10月，倫敦大都會警察局將這批文物交接給中國駐英使館。

The relics were transported in tailor-made cases and landed intact in Beijing on Oct 20.

10月20日，裝在定製盒子中運送的文物完好無損地抵達北京。