The state-run daily argued in an op-ed that the recent theft of artifacts from the museum's storeroom shined a light on its failure to live up to the UK government’s claim that foreign treasures "are better protected" in the museum than in their countries of origin.
"We urge the British government to cooperate in the legal and other procedures to facilitate the process, which will be a test and verification of Britain's sincerity in clearing the colonial stain and making amends for its historical sins," the article read.
The daily estimated that the museum owned about 23,000 pieces of cultural relics from China. Of them, some 2,000 items have reportedly been on display for a long time.
China is the latest country to demand that the British give back what was stolen from it or obtained by fraudulent means during colonial times. Greece has recently renewed its calls for the return of Parthenon marbles, only to be accused of "blatant opportunism" by British lawmakers.
The British Museum, dubbed by critics as the world's largest receiver of stolen goods, admitted this week that some 2,000 items from its collection, mostly gems and jewelry dating from the 15th century BC to the 19th century AD, were "missing, stolen or damaged." Some of them have reportedly showed up on eBay.