(Photo/People's Daily)

The United States announced the repatriation of 361 pieces of Chinese relics and artifacts to China at a ceremony here on Thursday.

Senior officials of the two countries celebrated the repatriation at the event held in the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis, capital city of the U.S. state of Indiana.

(Photo/People's Daily)

(Photo/People's Daily)

(Photo/People's Daily)

The repatriation will bring back to China the largest batch of relics and artifacts from the United States since 2009, when the two nations signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance cooperation in this regard, accoriding to Chinese officials.

Hu Bing, deputy director of China's National Cultural Heritage Administration, said at the ceremony that China appreciates U.S. efforts in relics repatriation, and expects further cooperation with the U.S. side on relics preservation and information sharing, as well as in people-to-people exchanges.

Minister Li Kexin, the Chinese Embassy in the United States, also hailed the U.S. commitment, saying that "you have shown the best virtue of integrity of the American people."