The Parthenon Sculptures must return to Greece, says China's President

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday urged Britain to return the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece while standing in front of the Caryatids in the Acropolis Museum, where he was given a tour.

President Jinping declared his strong support for the return of the Parthenon Sculptures to Athens during his official two-day visit to Athens, which included a visit to the New Acropolis Museum on Tuesday with the President of the Hellenic Republic Mr. Prokopis Pavlopoulos.

Xi was welcomed and accompanied inside the museum by Pavlopoulos and his wife Vlassia Pavlopoulos-Peltsemi, museum President Dimitris Pantermalis and Culture Minister Lina Mendoni.

The Greek President earlier sought the support of his Chinese counterpart in securing the return of the Parthenon Sculptures from the British Museum insisting that "[their] place is here and not in the British Museum. They are holding them illegally. We are asking for your support."

Xi Jing expressed his solidarity and stated with Greece and stated: "Not only do I agree that the Parthenon Sculptures should be returned but you will have our support, because we also have many of our own artifacts from Chinese civilisation that are outside the country and that we are trying to bring back home," said President Xi Jinping to the Greek President while standing in awe in front of the Caryatids in the Acropolis  Museum, which concluded his two day visit.

*Images by Eurokinissi