As we all know, pandas are rare animals unique to China, mainly living in the lofty mountains of western China. Its cute image and unique black and white colors have captured many fans and are known as China's "national treasures".
It is precisely because the panda is extremely precious, so it has played an important role in the diplomatic history of our country and achieved the unique characteristics of "panda diplomacy" in China.
(National Treasure Panda)
As early as 685 AD, Wu Zetian set a precedent for "panda diplomacy". She gave the Emperor of Japan two live pandas and dozens of panda skins.
But pandas are well known to Westerners many years later. It was not until 1869, when the French missionary David gave a panda specimen obtained in China to the French Museum of Natural History, that this amazing animal entered the vision of Westerners.
Since then, cute pandas have driven Westerners crazy. It has also set off a frenzy of countries rushing into western China to hunt giant pandas.
In 1914, the German Wei gult captured 5 pandas in Xikang. But these pandas all died tragically before leaving the country, and Weigurt only brought back a specimen from Germany.
In 1928, the American Roosevelt also came to Sichuan, and although he did not capture a live panda, he brutally shot and killed one.
In 1936, American fashion designer Ruth Harkness brought a male giant panda to the United States and gave it to the Chicago Zoo, which set a precedent for live pandas to go abroad and was the first time that the United States welcomed giant pandas.
After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, pandas continued to play the role of diplomatic ambassadors. Especially during the most difficult period of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Panda played a key role in winning the aid and support of the United States as a "goodwill ambassador" and made great contributions to the victory of the War of Resistance.
The people who carried out this "panda diplomacy" were the two sisters, Song Meiling and Song Xialing.
(Song Meiling and Song Yiling)
In 1941, the arduous War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression entered its fourth year, and it also reached the most difficult moment. At this moment, the United Relief Association of Chinese Refugees came to China's aid. Starting in March of that year, they launched a $5 million fundraiser. The campaign is scheduled to last for 5 months, but in just one month, the association has received more than $10 million in donations.
At the same time, American writer and human rights activist Pearl Buck also collected donations through the China Disaster Relief Society and received generous donations from a large number of caring people.
Subsequently, the two associations began to continuously provide China with medical equipment, medicines, food, and cash to help the Chinese military and civilians resist the Japanese fascist aggression.
The two sisters, Song Meiling and Song Yiling, who are in charge of the relief work for Chinese refugees, are grateful for the help of the United States and decide to give back an important gift to the association. But when choosing what kind of gift, the two are difficult, this gift must reflect its uniqueness, but also represent the sincerity of the Chinese people, and can not be too valuable.
Just when the two were distressed about the gift, they suddenly heard a message. In a zoo in New York, the only giant panda that was transported to the United States in the early years fell ill and died, and the Americans sighed and wrote a special article in the newspaper to mourn it.
(Ambassador Song Meiling and U.S. Ambassadors)
Song Meiling had a clever move, why not send a giant panda to the United States?
Therefore, the two actively took action, on the one hand, to inform the United States of this good news through diplomatic channels, and on the other hand, to seize the search for giant pandas.
To this end, the National Government specially organized forces to go deep into Wenchuan County, where pandas often appear. After several months of arduous searching, two giant pandas, a male and a female, were finally captured in Caopo Township.
The Americans were so excited when they heard the news that they specially sent animal expert Tiwen to Chongqing to accept this invaluable gift on behalf of the United States.
On November 9th, the grand panda donation ceremony was officially held at the Broadcasting Building, attended by Sister Song Meiling and the US Ambassador to China. Central Radio, Radio International and CBS jointly broadcast the donation ceremony live.
The next day, Chongqing's "Central Daily," "Ta Kung Pao," and "Declaration" also rushed to report on the incident. In January of the following year, Time magazine in the United States also published this exciting news.
After a short stay in Chongqing, Tiwen flew back to China on November 14 with two pandas and arrived in Hong Kong that evening. In an interview at the airport, Ti Wen once said emotionally: "I am extremely grateful to receive pandas in China this time." The future of China's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression is indeed very bright and brilliant. ”
Two days later, Tiffin left Hong Kong and flew to Manila, Philippines, to the United States on the ship President Coolidge. After more than 40 days of sea turbulence, a pair of giant pandas crossed the Pacific Ocean and finally arrived in New York at the end of December.
It is interesting to note that just as the two giant pandas rushed to the United States day and night, the "Pearl Harbor Incident" broke out, and the two pandas were lucky to avoid the war, bringing the Americans a sincere friendship Chinese people. Compared with the Shells of the Japanese, the Chinese government's "panda diplomacy" won the trust and respect of the United States and strengthened the mutual trust between China and the United States during the War of Resistance.
As a result, the panda relied on its cute face and rounded posture, which was warmly welcomed by the Americans, and also created a precedent for Sino-US panda diplomacy and consolidated Sino-US relations. Let China at that time fight side by side with the United States to effectively crack down on the aggressive acts of Japanese imperialism.
(Reference: "Panda Diplomacy" during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression)