Eating bamboo, scratching their backs, rolling around on the ground… the lovable giant pandas, not only China’s national treasure but also increasingly becoming beloved around the world, have emerged as global “pets” and ambassadors for Sino-foreign cultural exchanges. As we bid farewell to 2024, which giant pandas have risen to the status of “international superstars” this year?
When it comes to the “top global stars” among giant pandas living abroad, the family of giant pandas “Ai Bao” in South Korea undoubtedly takes the lead. The panda couple, “Ai Bao” and “Le Bao,” have been living in South Korea for 8 years and have had three cubs: “Fu Bao,” “Rui Bao,” and “Hui Bao.”
As the first giant panda born in South Korea, “Fu Bao” is affectionately called “Princess Fu” and has become a household name and a “top global star.” The love from her South Korean fans could only be described as “obsessive.” Over the more than 1,000 days that “Fu Bao” met the public, Ai Bao Garden’s panda house attracted more than 5.5 million visitors, and over 3.3 million merchandise items were sold. When it was announced that “Fu Bao” would be returning to China, her fans gathered in the rain, holding signs saying, “Fu Bao, you are our little lucky charm,” lining up to bid her farewell. Her journey back to China was nothing short of a grand reality show, complete with chartered cars and special flights, a treatment that would likely make other pandas envious.
In Japan, the popularity of giant panda “Xiang Xiang” remains undiminished. According to some Japanese scholars, the economic benefits generated by “Xiang Xiang” from her birth to her return to China in under six years amounted to approximately 2.8 billion RMB. In 2024, several Japanese travel agencies launched travel packages to visit “Xiang Xiang” in Sichuan, China, and the sales far exceeded expectations.
But the trend isn’t just confined to Asia. Chinese giant pandas have also been living in various European countries. Naturally, the living environment of these international superstars has to be top-notch. In April 2024, to welcome the arrival of Chinese giant pandas “Jin Xi” and “Zhu Yu,” the Madrid Zoo in Spain upgraded and renovated its panda house. The upgrades included constructing a new maternity room to better cater to the pandas’ needs during pregnancy and adding climbing frames, logs, and other play structures to enhance their well-being.
People often project their love for giant pandas and their yearning for Chinese culture onto the pandas’ names. The giant panda cub born in the Netherlands in July 2024 was named “Lang Yue,” a name symbolizing the friendship between China and the Netherlands. “Lang” is derived from the Chinese pronunciation of the Dutch artist Rembrandt, representing hope, light, and wisdom. “Yue,” meaning “moon,” reflects the Chinese people’s affection for the panda. Similarly, the giant panda twins born in Berlin, Germany, in August 2024 were named “Meng Hao” and “Meng Tian,” meaning “sweet dreams” and symbolizing the fulfillment of good wishes. When the two little ones made their public debut in December, they immediately attracted a large crowd of visitors.
As of December 14, 2024, China has sent 44 giant pandas to live abroad. As a national treasure of China, giant pandas not only play the role of friendly ambassadors in Sino-foreign exchanges but also serve as symbols of global biodiversity conservation. Through collaborative research and protection efforts with relevant organizations in various countries, the number of giant pandas in the wild has increased from about 1,100 individuals in the 1980s to nearly 1,900 today.
As we look forward to the coming year, who knows what new heights China’s giant pandas will reach? Let’s stay tuned and continue to celebrate these adorable ambassadors of peace, friendship, and conservation.