The U.S. and China signed earlier this year an agreement to stem the flow of illegal trade in cultural artifacts. The agreement is part of the Convention on Cultural Property Implementation Act, a U.S. law that implements the 1970 UNESCO Convention.
The trade agreement is to put a stop to the illegal importation of Chinese cultural materials from the Paleo-Lithic to the ang Dynasty (75,000 B.C.–A.D. 907) including monumental art at least 250 years old.
Archeological pieces sent overseas will also have to be accompanied by proper permits issued by the Chinese government. In addition the agreement includes a number of steps involving education of the Chinese people as to the importance of not selling their cultural heritage and to block looted artifacts from entering the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions.
The U.S. also pledges technical assistance to China, networks for museum loans, cultural exchange in faculty and students, and collaberation between archeologists from both nations.
Both sides are also commited to stregthening their customs practices and information in these regards.
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