(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-01-15 16:53

CANBERRA - The Australian government returned 750 kilograms of illegally imported dinosaur, mammal and reptile fossils to the Chinese government here on Tuesday.

At the handover ceremony held at the Chinese Embassy, the Chinese ambassador Zhang Junsai expressed thanks to the Australian government for returning 750 kilograms of fossils to the Chinese government.

Zhang said the Australian government has done a commendable job in tracking down the fossils and returning every single piece of them to their rightful owners.

"The long-standing partnership between the Chinese and Australian government in cracking down on the illicit sales of movable natural and cultural heritage has indeed set an outstanding example of international cooperation in this field." he said.

Australian Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts Peter Garrett said at the ceremony that the successful operations "have sent a strong message to the world that Australia will not tolerate illicit trade in cultural heritage objects", and his government was delighted to work with the Chinese government to return these illegal imports to ensure they are protected for future generations.