Panda Nongnong has become an internet sensation after footage showed him soaking paws in a pool, swaying feet with human-like relaxation at Dujiangyan base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) in southwest China's Sichuan Province.
The 3-year-old male, born on August 28, 2020 at CCRCGP, is cared for by keepers alongside his mother Lulu.
As a world-leading institution for the breeding and rewilding research of giant pandas, CCRCGP has established a global platform for promoting international cooperation and exchanges involving 18 zoos in 16 countries and regions, as well as 39 domestic animal breeding institutions and more than 10 research institutes.
Panda Nongnong's chill feet spa
China's Commerce Minister Wang Wentao met with visiting German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul in Beijing on Monday, and called on German companies to seize opportunities and deepen cooperation with Chinese partners in traditional and emerging sectors.
Wang noted that economic and trade cooperation between China and Germany has helped both sides develop industrial integration, interconnected markets, and complementary technologies, stabilizing and deepening bilateral relations, while also promoting the healthy development of China's trade and economic relations with the European Union (EU).
"We welcome German companies to seize new opportunities, consolidate cooperation in traditional sectors including machinery, automobiles, and chemicals, and tap the potential for cooperation in emerging businesses such as clean energy, intelligent manufacturing and biopharmaceuticals," said Wang.
Wang also noted that the current trend of politicizing trade and economic issue is on the rise, and global industrial and supply chains are being severely disrupted as a result. China and Germany, as well as China and the EU, should uphold free trade and safeguard the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core, Wang said.
Wadephul said Germany opposes protectionism and considers China its most important trading partner. He added that Germany wants to maintain and expand the positive momentum of cooperation.
"China is a driver of innovation and a major hub for high technology in many aspects. We are very keen to maintain exchanges with China both economically and scientifically," said Wadephul.
China and Germany are the world's second and third biggest economies. According to German data, China was once again Germany's largest trading partner in the first three quarters of this year.
China’s commerce minister meets with German FM, calling for deepening cooperation
