Why Did Panda Xiang Xiang, Born in Japan, Leave Her Hometown to Return to China?

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[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] Xiang Xiang, a giant panda born and raised in Japan, has left for China. This is because the ownership of all pandas worldwide belongs to China, and the principle is that baby pandas born in Japan are returned to China when they turn 2 years old.

Xiang Xiang, born at Ueno Zoo in Japan, moved to Sichuan Province, China on the 21st. Xiang Xiang was born in June 2017 to father 'Li Li' and mother 'Shin Shin', who were borrowed from China by Tokyo Metropolitan Government in 2011. After being revealed to the general public at 6 months old, Xiang Xiang gained immense popularity, becoming a mascot of the zoo.

The 5-year-old female giant panda "Xiangxiang," born at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Japan, was returned to China on the 21st. Photo by Yonhap News

However, Xiang Xiang left her hometown after 5 years. This is because all pandas worldwide belong to China, and the principle is that baby pandas born in Japan are returned to China when they reach 24 months old.

Xiang Xiang was originally scheduled to leave for China in June 2019. But due to the strong love for pandas among the Japanese public and growing calls to extend the loan period, after negotiations, she stayed in Tokyo for an additional year. Later, her departure was delayed once more due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which made returning the panda difficult.

Once Xiang Xiang’s move to China was confirmed, visitors flocked to the zoo to see her. According to Asahi Shimbun and others, the competition rate for viewing on the last day reached up to 70 to 1.

China’s 'Panda Diplomacy'... Criticism of 'Money-Making' Due to High Price

The panda is an animal representing China, characterized by its round face and black-and-white contrasting fur. Pandas inhabit northwest China, eastern Tibet, and other areas, but only about 1,800 individuals remain in the wild, making them a rare species. Because of this, they receive exceptional treatment both in China and abroad.

In the past, China gifted pandas to countries with which it established diplomatic relations. It was customary to send pandas to countries with diplomatic ties as a sign of friendship. In 1972, to commemorate the normalization of diplomatic relations, a pair of male Kang Kang and female Lan Lan were sent to Ueno Zoo in Japan, and giant pandas became a symbol of Japan-China diplomatic relations.

Everland Panda World mother panda 'Aibao' and baby panda 'Pubao'. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

However, since concerns about panda extinction arose in the 1980s, China has charged about 1 million dollars annually per panda pair as a breeding research fund. This is a form of lending pandas to foreign countries and receiving rental fees from the borrowing countries.

There have been criticisms in various countries that pandas are being used as a money-making tool. It is argued that China runs a kind of business by lending pandas to foreign zoos and collecting fees. Due to the high rental fees, Edinburgh Zoo in the UK voluntarily offered to return their pandas. South Korea also received a pair of pandas as a gift to commemorate the normalization of diplomatic relations with China in 1994, but returned them to China in 1997 due to the IMF financial crisis.

Meanwhile, there are currently three pandas in South Korea, all at Everland Panda World. In 2014, Chinese President Xi Jinping promised to gift a pair of pandas during his visit to South Korea, and female Ai Bao and male Le Bao came to the country. Later, in July 2020, Ai Bao and Le Bao gave birth to Fu Bao (female), the first panda born in South Korea, attracting great attention. Fu Bao is expected to be returned to China when she turns 4 years old.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.