Turkey’s Culture and Tourism Ministry returned Monday two heritage assets of China donated to a Turkish museum by a British citizen.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ersoy said: “Each artifact is beautiful in its own lands, where it belongs, it is meaningful there. This is our respect for the essence of cultural assets.”
“One of the artifacts belongs to Tang Dynasty which ruled from 618-907 AD, and the statuette belongs to Sui Dynasty that ruled between 557-618 AD,” he said.
Ersoy also noted that the foreigner who donated the artifacts asked to remain anonymous. He had brought the assets to the Fethiye Museum in Mugla province of Turkey after finding it in his mother's house after her death.
Li thanked Turkey for the efforts to reinstate the cultural assets, adding that both countries have been cooperating on the issue of protecting cultural assets.
Following the speeches, the return protocol was signed.