The population of giant pandas, China's beloved mascot, is growing stably thanks to an improving environment of their habitats in wake of the country's conservation efforts, according to sources with the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.
Giant pandas are a national treasure of China and a flagship species of global biodiversity protection.
In October 2021, the country set up a Giant Panda National Park spanning its southwestern province of Sichuan and northwestern provinces of Shaanxi and Gansu, protecting more than 70 percent of the wild giant pandas in the nation. More than 1,300 wild giant pandas live in the park which covers some 22,000 square kilometers. In interviews with China Central Television, staff members of the park said their encounters with wild giant pandas are becoming more and more frequent in recent years, and that they even had to use drones to capture the footage of five different giant pandas at the same location in one month in Gansu.
"According to our latest monitoring data, the number of giant pandas monitored in the scope of key areas has risen by 50 compared with four years ago, which shows that the population of giant pandas is going up steadily, and the isolation of small populations is continuing to ease," said Yang Zhisong, deputy head of Sichuan Giant Panda Research Institute.
Population of giant pandas in China grows in better living environment: authorities
China's issuance of its first Renminbi-denominated green sovereign bonds on the London Stock Exchange on Wednesday represents a strategic leap in global sustainable finance and currency internationalization, said a Chinese economist.
According to the Ministry of Finance, it successfully completed the bookbuilding and issuance of six billion yuan (around 825.52 million U.S. dollars) in green sovereign bonds in London on behalf of the central government.
This bond issuance delivers on commitments made during January's China-UK Economic and Financial Dialogue in Beijing.
To support this initiative, the ministry released a framework for sovereign green bonds in February, paving the foundation for the country to issue offshore sovereign green bonds and global capital to invest in its green development.
"The issuance is open to international investors, providing them with clear and standardized investment guidelines. It shows China's open attitude. This is about setting international standards. By issuing a bond that it needs, China is actively engaging in setting an international standard," said Zou Jingxian, an associate professor of the National Academy of Development and Strategy under Renmin University of China.
The move also comes as global demand for green sovereign bonds continues to grow, with such instruments typically enjoying strong investor appetite and favorable interest rates.
"The green transformation is critical for China's economy and also meets the public growing demand for a better quality of life. The funds raised through these bonds will be allocated to specific areas like green innovation, renewable energy. Second, it can boost international confidence in China's economy. We know that confidence is important for one economy. By issuing green sovereign bonds, China can attract more international capital," said Zou.
China issues first RMB green bonds in London, advancing global sustainable finance: expert
