Goddess statue returned to China

An illegally-exported statue has been returned to China after Australian authorities seized it at the border.

An American dealer sold the valuable and culturally significant Qing dynasty statue of the Goddess Guanyin on eBay.

It had been exported from China in a breach of cultural laws.

Customs staff seized the stone statue when it arrived in Australia and it was returned to Chinese authorities on Thursday in accordance with an agreement between the two countries.