When Italian President Sergio Mattarella had his state visit to China in November, he was invited by President Xi Jinping to appreciate some precious Chinese cultural relics that were put on display at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

These artifacts, which were illegally exported and seized in Italy, were returned from the European country to China in a gesture of international cooperation on cultural heritage protection. Eight painted pottery vessels were the highlights on that occasion. Their origins were traced to the Majiayao culture, a Neolithic archaeological culture in the upper reaches of the Yellow River dating back 4,000 to 5,000 years.