South Korea-born giant panda Fu Bao adapts to new life after return to China

Fu Bao, the first giant panda born in South Korea, has been adapting well to local bamboo and other aspects of a new life at a nature reserve in southwest China's Sichuan Province after her return in early April.

The giant panda, dubbed the "top celebrity in South Korea," was born on July 20, 2020. She is the daughter of Le Bao and Ai Bao, a giant panda pair that arrived in South Korea in March 2016 on a 15-year lease.

The celebrity panda's new home at the the Shenshuping Base in Wolong National Nature Reserve offers her a spacious courtyard with plenty of room for a daily stroll, as well as a shaded nook where she can rest on hot days.

Giant pandas at the reserve do not have fixed hours to show themselves to the public, but rather move freely between the indoor and outdoor areas as they please. The breeders, apart from their essential tasks of feeding, cleaning and training, minimize interference, allowing the pandas to enjoy their lives.

Xu Xiang, who has been taking good care of Fu Bao from her quarantine period to her adjustment period, usually prepares the beloved bear's favorite apples and steamed buns at around 11:00.

"When Fu Bao first arrived, we were concerned about its adaptation to local bamboo shoots. We prepared several types of bamboo for it, from bitter to sweet. The next day, we noticed her eating bitter bamboo, which indicated that she had relatively good adaptability," said Xu.

Currently, Fu Bao has adjusted to the local food, enjoys interacting with people and follows a regular daily routine.

"Fu Bao actually has a good temperament. Occasionally, she extends her paw, not to grab you, but to grab something. Giant pandas become familiar with breeders primarily through their sound and scent. Over time, they develop a mutual sense of trust, so, we communicate with her daily. Now that she has settled down, her daily routine is more regular. In the morning, she exercises, walks around, takes a dip in the water when it gets hot, eats some bamboo and has her meals. In the afternoon, apart from eating some supplementary food, she mostly sleeps," said Xu.

During the adjustment period, experts are observing and assessing Fu Bao's progress to determine the time for it to meet the public. It is preliminarily expected that Fu Bao will meet the public in June, with the specific date yet to be confirmed.

South Korea-born giant panda Fu Bao adapts to new life after return to China

On his second official visit to China, Prime Minister of the Republic of Vanuatu Charlot Salwai expressed admiration for China's remarkable ability to balance preserving its cultural heritage with embracing innovative transformation.

Salwai paid an official visit to China from July 7 to 12. During his trip, he toured the southern province of Guangdong and explored the megacities of Beijing and Shanghai. His visit included tours of high-tech companies, a ride on a high-speed train, and a performance of traditional Cantonese opera.

In an interview with China Central Television Network (CCTV) aired on Friday, Salwai recounted his journey starting with a warm welcome that included enjoying Beijing Roast Duck, also known as Peking Duck -- a culinary delight introduced to him by the Chinese ambassador in Vanuatu.

"Many had to say. Peking Duck. Because we had it here on our arrival, so it was very tasty. And I understand that the Chinese ambassador in Vanuatu brought us to one of the traditional restaurants, small but beautiful," he said. The prime minister sees China's preservation of its culture as a vital lesson in understanding one's roots and the journey to the present day, acknowledging China's efforts to integrate cultural preservation with modernization.

"It's going to be my second official visit to China. I'm always impressed to see big changes and especially innovations made by China and especially the cities. Because a big impression is to see how China continues to maintain and keep its culture. Because I think it's the basis of everything -- to know where you come from and to understand where we are today. I feel that China is doing a lot to maintain its culture, but at the same time, doing, innovating to transform its culture,” Salwai said.

He also emphasized the importance of learning from China's sustainable development strategies.

"Today, it comes from a long way, some hardship, the government, and also the people of China. So, I'm impressed to see what is done, especially how China associates infrastructure development with nature. That's meant to keep, continue to keep the environment. It takes effort with the climate change by maintaining the ecosystem. I think it's something that, for a small country like Vanuatu, is important to learn. So, we are here. I'm here with my delegation to learn," Salwai said.

Vanuatu's PM commends China's cultural preservation, innovation amid fast growth