Hundreds of Chinese cultural relics repatriated from Italy finally are made available for public viewing on Wednesday at the National Museum of China in Beijing. [Photo by Jiang Dong/China Daily]

While international conventions prohibited the illicit import and export of cultural properties in 1970 and 1995, respectively, Guan said the process is often tricky, especially with artifacts lost before 1970.

"This repatriation from Italy offers a crucial reference," he said. "But each case requires a plan tailored to its specific situation."