Group birthday party held for pandas in Shanghai zoo

Three giant pandas born in October celebrated their birthday together at Shanghai Wild Animal Park on Friday.

Under the watchful eye of panda fans, seven-year-old Xue Bao and Qian Jin, and five-year-old Kang Kang, enjoyed their special birthday feast presented by animal care staff of the zoo.

The zoo also carefully prepared handmade birthday gifts, including exquisite bamboo beds, swivel chairs, bamboo baskets and other toys.

The giant panda birthday celebration is expected to last for one week. During this period, visitors are welcomed to write blessing cards and make Chinese 'wotou' (steamed bread made from corn, soybeans, rice and eggs) or toys for pandas. The birthday party was held to help the public learn more about these adorable creatures.

Chinese investments are bringing new development opportunities to Hauts-de-France, a traditional industrial region in northern France, as local governments actively attract Chinese new energy enterprises to participate in the region's industrial transformation.

The Hauts-de-France region was once home to Griset, a copper processing company with a history of over 260 years and a pillar of France's metallurgical industry. Faced with global competition and fluctuations in metal prices, the company teetered on the brink of bankruptcy until its acquisition by TNMG, China's leading copper producer, enabled it to rise from the ashes under the name TG Griset. "Today, we have achieved our production target of 7,000 tons per year. This is a remarkable change compared to when we started back in 2016, when a small team of just 12 people launched operations. Now we have 70 employees, along with new projects, development prospects, and a future strategy. The group has also provided us with investment support," said David Derache, general manager of TG Griset.

Located nearly equidistant between Paris and London, as well as nearby the industrial heartlands of Western Europe, Hauts-de-France enjoys huge geographical advantages and a solid foundation in the automotive industry, with carmakers like Renault and Stellantis present. Official data shows that the region has drawn nearly 50 Chinese enterprises to invest and establish operations across sectors including automotive, energy, and chemicals.

Leading the charge the promotion of the region is Nord France Invest, which offers support to international companies and investors seeking to expand in Hauts-de-France.

"We go on a regular basis in China to meet with Chinese groups and, once again, to explain where we are, what we do, and how we can help them choose our region and make sure that we are the hub for them in Europe and the best gateway for Chinese investment here," said Yann Pitollet, CEO of Nord France Invest.

Beyond capital, Hauts-de-France values China's strengths in the new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturing sector, particularly in batteries and materials. For this traditional industrial region, attracting Chinese enterprises is not only about drawing investment but also about the electrification transformation and the future development of its automotive industry.

"The best-selling electric vehicle in France today is a Renault car -- the Renault 5. It uses Chinese batteries, and these batteries are produced right here in the Hauts-de-France region. These modern examples -- whether in electric vehicle batteries, related investments, or the development of port industries -- show that these new industrial developments are significant for regions like ours," said Xavier Bertrand, president of the Hauts-de-France Regional Council.