Pandas in the Berlin Zoo: A symbol of China's diplomacy and friendship!

Pandas in the Berlin Zoo: A symbol of China's diplomacy and friendship!

months of anticipation culminated in the Berlin Zoo: In August 2020, Panda-Mother Meng Meng gave birth to two sugar-sweet twins, which soon became an attraction in the zoo. The rare animals are more reminiscent of magical creatures than traditional bears and enchanting with their big eyes. Pandas are a rarity worldwide and are only in a few zoos, including in Berlin, where they represent a valuable loan from China. However, the importance of these animals goes far beyond their fascination, because they are a symbol of diplomatic relationships between Germany and China, such as berlin-live.de .

Since their arrival in 2015, in the course of a state visit by Angela Merkel in Beijing, the pandas captivate the visitors and significantly increase the revenue of the zoo. The Berlin Zoo pays around 920,000 euros in loan fees to China per year, which are invested in species protection and research. This “panda diplomacy” not only serves entertainment, but also improves China's reputation abroad, while delicate issues such as human rights violations are in the background, said political scientist Claus Soong in an interview, such as AP news notes.

Farewell and celebrate

The two Panda twins, which are also known as Meng Xiang and Meng Yuan, recently celebrated their fourth birthday in the Berlin Zoo. But this jubilee has a bitter sweetness, since the animals are to be sent to China soon. The move has been delayed by the Covid 19 pandemy, but now the signs are at a farewell. The Zoo's representatives hope to be able to carry out the transfer soon to see the Panda parents, Jiao Qing and Meng Meng, in their children's home. "We are very happy about the celebrations here, but it will probably be the last time that they are celebrating their birthday in Berlin," said Florian Sicks, the curator of the zoo. The pandas are an important part of conveying the special relationship between Germany and China, which justifies their very valued position in the zoo.