Giant panda "Xiangxiang" cloud connection and fan sharing meeting
Chinese Herald News On April 9, the giant panda "Xiangxiang" cloud connection and fan sharing meeting co-sponsored by the China Public Diplomacy Association, the Chinese Embassy in Japan and The Paper was held in Tokyo, Japan. Wu Jianghao, Chinese Ambassador to Japan, Wu Hailong, President of the China Public Diplomacy Association, Tsuyoshi Nakamura, Vice Governor of Tokyo, and about 200 giant panda fans from all over Japan attended the event, watched Xiangxiang's life at the Bifengxia Base in Ya'an, China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, and interacted with Xiangxiang's keepers online to learn about the recent situation of Xiangxiang at the Ya'an Base.
Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Japan Wu Jianghao (middle)
In his speech, Wu Jianghao said that the cooperation between giant pandas has always been an important platform for people-to-people exchanges between China and Japan, and has left a good story for promoting friendship between the two countries. In 1972, Chinese giant pandas "Kangkang" and "Lan Lan" set foot on Japanese soil for the first time and came to live at Ueno Zoo, which immediately set off a wave of "panda fever" and became one of the landmark events of the normalization of diplomatic relations between China and Japan. For more than 50 years, the humble "black and white elves" have served as friendly envoys to enhance the mutual understanding between the two peoples.
Wu Jianghao said that the giant panda is a national treasure of China, and the conservation of the giant panda reflects the historical trajectory of China's ecological civilization construction and witnesses China's contribution to the world of green development. The image of the giant panda is gentle and generous, representing the Chinese cultural symbol of kindness, good-neighborliness, faith and harmony. As the Chinese and Japanese peoples, who also cherish the giant panda, they should coexist peacefully, be friendly for generations, cooperate for mutual benefit and develop together. We look forward to more people from the two countries forging bonds through the adorable giant pandas, participating in China-Japan friendly exchanges, and contributing to the healthy development of China-Japan relations.
Attendees
Wu Hailong said that in the past few decades, the giant panda has become an envoy to promote friendly relations between China and other countries around the world. Xiangxiang, together with other giant panda families in Japan, has made unique contributions to enhancing the friendship between the Chinese and Japanese people. According to the agreement between the two parties on the cooperation agreement on giant panda conservation, Xiangxiang returned to China on February 21, 2023. We welcome the Japanese people to visit Xiangxiang and her partners in China. I hope that the giant panda will continue to bring more joy and friendship to the people of China and Japan.
Nakamura said that after returning to her hometown of Sichuan, Xiangxiang was carefully cared for by the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda and lived a happy life, which is gratifying. Giant pandas are a symbol of friendship between Japan and China, and Ueno Zoo is home to a family of four, hoping that more pandas like Xiangxiang will be born and raised at Ueno Zoo.
Yutaka Fukuda said that the most popular animal star since the opening of Ueno Zoo is the giant panda. Japan will continue to deepen cooperation with the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda and make unremitting efforts to promote Japan-China friendship and cooperation in animal protection.
Panda lovers sat around and watched the fragrant food broadcast
The event was full of laughter and emotion. The attendees wrote their messages and blessings to Xiangxiang on the message board. The large TV screen was put on the real-time connection screen with the Ya'an Bifeng Gorge base, and panda lovers sat around to watch the fragrant food broadcast, and raised their mobile phones to record the cuteness, and many people left tears of excitement. Under the guidance of the interactive guest Japanese documentary director Ryo Takeuchi, everyone communicated with the keepers of the Ya'an base across the screen, cared about Xiangxiang's home life, and competed to ask questions about her recent situation.
Tetsuya Chiba, President of the Japan Manga Artists Association, Kyomasa Tomita, Deputy Director of Ueno Zoo, Toshimitsu Doi, President of the Japan Giant Panda Conservation Association, Takahiro Takashi, a panda photographer, and Tomoka Takahata, a participant in the naming of "Xiangxiang", respectively told their stories with the giant pandas. Towards the end of the event, Japanese dancers dressed in giant panda costumes gave a special ballet performance, which drew cheers from the audience.
Everyone communicates with the breeders of the Ya'an base across the screen
The event was broadcast live on The Paper's website, and simultaneously broadcast live on more than 80 mainstream media in China and its affiliated new media platforms. Xinhua News Agency, CCTV, China Daily, Kyodo News Agency, Jiji News, Asahi Shimbun, Yomiuri Shimbun, Sankei Shimbun, NHK, TV Asahi, TBS TV, Fuji TV and other more than 20 Chinese and Japanese mainstream media reporters reported on the scene.
Japanese dancers dressed in giant panda costumes give a ballet performance