Mr. Jing Shuiqing Vice President, China Intercontinental CommunicationCenter (CICC) and Mr. Zhang Zhizhong, Deputy Director Department of WildlifeConservation and Nature Reserve Management of National Forestry and GrasslandAdministration, Party Committee Secretary of China Conservation and ResearchCentre for the Giant Panda, exchanging China Giant Panda Global PromotionalAgreement.

           

 

Baby Panda (daughterof Washington Panda couple, Meixiang and Tiantian) returned to the China GiantPanda Conservation and Protection Centre.

Zhang Jianlong, Administratorof the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, handed over the archivesof "Meng Meng "and "Jiao Jiao" to Dr. Andreas Knieriem, Director of ZooBerlin (2017)

Thenew international initiative was officially inaugurated at The China MillenniumMonument in Beijing.

'Panda Week'is in future scheduled on the environmental calendar as a biennialinternational celebration of China's 60 years of conservation efforts savingthe icon of vulnerable species.

TheGiant Panda has since become a beloved cultural envoy representing friendlyChinese foreign exchanges and global environmental cooperation.

Giftsof giant pandas to foreign zoos marked some of the first cultural exchangesbetween China and the western world in the 1970s -- known as "pandadiplomacy" -- and research and breeding has since extended worldwide to 22zoos in 17 countries.

Continuingthis theme as a global ambassador, 'Chinese Giant PandaInternational Cultural Week' extends a philosophy of "peace,development, cooperation and mutually beneficial relationships" to theworld", said Mr. LiChunliang,Vice Administrator of the National Forestry andGrassland Administration at the opening ceremony.

"The Giant Panda is revered as a "livingfossil" and "China's national treasure", a flagship species ofglobal biodiversity, as well as a unique national and cultural symbol," hesaid.

"China has always attached great importanceto their conservation and protection, and President Xi Jinping has repeatedlystressed that more efforts need to be made to strengthen the protection andrestoration of their panda habitats, scientific research and personnel trainingto promote rejuvenation of the wild population.

"This fully reflects China's confidence anddetermination to boost ecological protection, layinga solid foundation and guidance for the protection and management of GiantPandas."

Hesaid habitat protection has since extended to 67 reserves through Sichuan and neighboringNorthern provinces Shaanxi and Gansu -- with key ecological projects including forest resources protection,returning farmland to forests and grasslands, wildlife protection and naturalreserve construction.

"We have also made great efforts to reinforcethe construction of wildlife protection laws, artificial breeding and releasinggiant pandas to the wild," he said. Key research in rare animal protectionbiology has meanwhile brought "important scientific and technologicalbreakthroughs" including nearly 100 national patents "driving the research ongiant panda protection to a higher level, enabling effective conservation".

As a result, the wild population has"gradually restored" to 1,864 individuals, along with 518 in captivity worldwide, this represents"a healthy, dynamic and sustainable species".

In addition,he said a pilot project for a "Giant Panda National Park" with an area of27,000 square kilometers has been launched, "opening a new chapter for theconservation of Giant pandas".

Thepark will cover three times the area of Yellowstone National Park in the US,with major ecological projects includingconstruction of reserves, ex-situ protection and release of giant pandas to thewild, focused on solving the problems of fragmented habitats and isolated genes.

Last but not least, he said Chinawill promote panda culture globally through "peace, friendliness, greenand sharing" with scientific and international exchanges "headlined byChinese characteristics, spirits and wisdom, leading the world to raisepeople's awareness of ecological civilization".

"The Giant panda is a messengerof peace and a symbol of friendship," he added. "Panda culture is an importantpart of Chinese traditional culture, promoting China's philosophies ofinternational peace, development, cooperation and mutually beneficial relationships."

"We have made great efforts andaccumulated a wealth of experience in the conservation and protection of giantpandas as well as related cultural exchanges and cooperation.

"We are willing to make jointefforts with the international community to protect giant pandas and promotepanda culture, and make a positive contribution to building a community of a shared future for mankind while enhancing international peace anddevelopment!"

Austria's Ambassador to China, HisExcellency Dr. Fritz Stift,said: "Pandas are a symbol of friendship between Austria and China. I wouldlike to congratulate the National Forestry and Grassland Administration for itsgreat success in protecting Giant Pandas.

He noted that Giant Pandashave been the most popular attraction at Vienna Zoo since a pair was loaned in2003. Four years later the first Panda conceived naturally in Europe was born. Twomore cubs followed in 2010 and 2013, followed by twins in 2016 -- the first inthe world raised without human assistance.

"Austria also would like tocontinue contributing to this great endeavor in the future," he added. "We hopeour success story of raising Panda cubs can be continued."

'Panda Week' features a public exhibition fromAugust 23-26 (free entry, 8am-9pm) at The China Millennium Monument telling themulti-faceted story of the panda through photos, film, television, virtualreality, research exhibits, works of art and cultural and creative products.

A'First Day Cover' of postage stamps presses the message home nationwide andabroad.

Withthe inaugural event themed 'Panda Culture, Shared Around the World',international involvement is also encouraged with a Chinese Giant PandaPromotional Agreement.

To help panda lovers aroundthe world better understandthe species and learn more about panda culture, Mr. Cui Baohua, Deputy Chairman ofSichuan Provincial Political Consultative Conference, announced that Sichuanwill launch a recruitment campaign for "Panda Culture Global Promotion Envoys",inviting 100 from around the world to visit Sichuan over the next five years.

He added: "China Giant PandaInternational Culture Week will be a great platform that helps promotescientific research and protection of Giant pandas in Sichuan, as well asecological civilization construction, opening-up international cooperation. Itwill be an important bridge that fosters cultural exchanges and friendshipsbetween Sichuan and the world."

"It showcases China's greatachievements in multiple aspects, including conservation and research of giantpandas, international exchanges and cooperation, and ecological civilizationconstruction".

"This event will certainlyenhance exchanges and friendships between China and other countries, andpromote sharing of Chinese culture with the world," he said.

Known as the "Land ofAbundance" and "Hometown of Giant Pandas", he said SichuanProvince has been at the forefront of protecting the species with naturalforest protection, returning farmland to forests and grasslands, wild fauna andflora protection, natural reserve construction and scientific research.

"The Giant panda has becomethe most dynamic and most promising wildlife tourism brand in Sichuan, and mostcharming 'business card' for Sichuan and even China in international culturalexchanges," he added.

AChinese Giant Panda International Design Competition was also launched,inviting designers from around the world to create "aunique cultural image" and international symbol for the species.

The invitation extends untilDecember 31, 2018 with the winning design revealed in 2019 for globalpromotion.

"We hope this campaign willconvene global inspiration and strength of cultural and artistic creation,helping promote the sharing of panda culture with the world," said Mr. Jing Shuiqing, Vice President, ChinaIntercontinental Communication Center (CICC), which promotes international exchanges and Chinese culture.

"The Giant Panda is gentle and adorable in the eyes of people all over the world, and a "business card of China" with worldwidepopularity," he said. "It symbolizes gentleness, friendliness, sustainabilityand sharing in Chinese culture, resonating with the philosophies of respect forlife, harmony between human and nature and sustainable development." 

'China Giant Panda International Culture Week' is supported bythe State Council Information Office, organized by the National Forestry andGrassland Administration, Chinese People's Association for Friendship withForeign Countries, and the Provincial People's Governments of Sichuan, Shanxiand Gansu, the ChinaConservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda and CICC.

China's Giant Panda Conservation

Native to south-central China, the Giant Panda was on the brink of extinction from deforestation ofits natural habitat of bamboo forest and poaching until conservation effortsformally began in 1958 with the establishment of Wolong National Nature Reserve in Sichuan.

Habitat protection has since extended to 67nature reserves through Sichuan and neighboring Northern provinces Shaanxi and Gansu -- compared to just 13 reserves in 1998.

Wild population estimates vary, with latestestimates of steady growth reaching 1,864 individuals along with 518 in captivity worldwide -- representing a healthy, sustainable breedingpopulation.

Whilestrengthening protection and preservation of wild Giant Pandas, researchcentres including the ChengduResearch Base of Giant Panda Breeding and Shanxi Louguantai Giant Panda RescueCenter continue advancing scientific research into breeding in captivity.

As well as loss of habitat,the Giant Panda's survival has been additionally hindered by a curious lack oflibido, brief breeding season, low fertility and poor survival rate of cubs.

To increase their interest inprocreating, some research centres have even tried inspiring their sex-drivewith a version of Viagra, and showing them the equivalent of adult movies --with film of other pandas mating.

"After nearly 40 years ofhard work, the number of artificially bred Giant Pandas is now steadily on therise," said Mr.Yang Chao, Director of Wildlife Conservation and Nature Reserve Managementof National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

"As the technique forartificial breeding becomes more sophisticated, the number of captive GiantPandas is reproducing at a faster rate."

China has so far bred 63Giant Panda cubs through artificial insemination, with 58 surviving. "By theend of 2017, the captive Giant Panda population reached 518, achieving basicself-sustainment," said Director Yang.

As a result of conservation success, theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature reclassified the species in 2016from endangered, meaning threatened with extinction, to 'conservational-reliantvulnerable', indicating population recovery with conservation support.

As the National Forestry Administration of China continues to reinforce conservation efforts for one of the worlds mostadored and protected rare animals, the Giant Panda is one of the few specieswith its natural habitat designated a UNESCO World HeritageSite. The Sichuan Giant PandaSanctuaries covering seven naturalreserves were inscribed onto the World Heritage List in 2006.

Chinais now embarking on amalgamating and extending reserves inSichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu under a Giant Panda National Park protecting70% of its habitat and 86% of the wild population.

Thepark will cover 27,134 square kilometres, three times the area of YellowstoneNational Park in the US.

By spanning three provinces, it aims to encourage migration of the species to strengthenits gene pool.

As most of the area is mountainouswhere residents are poor, it will also enable local governments to alleviatepoverty.

A fund of at least 10 billionyuan (US$1.57 billion) will finance a variety of poverty alleviation projectsfrom 2018 to 2023. The programme includes financial assistance, charityfoundation, disaster relief, community education, tourism development andecological construction.

Qumu Shiha, head of a nationalpark working group, called the initiative a "big step to building a moderatelywell-off society" in the region.

"It will help mobilize the efforts of the whole society into protecting giantpandas, promoting harmony between nature and humans, and exploring a new modelto combining environmental protection, financing, poverty reduction and charitycare."

He described the vision as a"model for ecological development and social development globally."