Two panda cubs have been filmed engaging in a daredevil competition as they raced each other to the top of the towering trees in their enclosure in southwest China, with the pair of brave bears pushing each other on to reach new heights.
The daring duo are seen carefully climbing their way up the tree branches, brushing leaves aside with their cuddly frames as they boldly navigate their way upwards, seemingly unfazed by the challenge.
Eventually the courageous panda cubs are seen perching themselves high on the best possible vantage point, quietly observing each other from a distance.
The footage was shot at the Star Delivery House for Giant Pandas at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in the southwestern Sichuan Province.
The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is a world-renowned center for the ex-situ conservation of giant pandas. It also serves as a hub for scientific research, public education, and ecotourism. The institution is internationally recognized for its contributions to the protection and breeding of giant pandas, red pandas and other endangered wildlife species native to China.
Brave panda cubs engage in high-stakes tree-climbing competition
The 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting concluded in east China's Suzhou on Saturday, yielding fruitful results and laying significant groundwork for the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in November.
The trade ministers' meeting focused on "building an open and predictable regional and multilateral economic and trade order" and "fostering new engines of innovative and dynamic trade and investment cooperation."
Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao briefed the media on the meeting's outcomes at a press conference.
Wang said the meeting issued a joint statement titled the Suzhou Statement, and approved the latest edition of the APEC Roadmap for Innovative, Competitive and Resilient Services.
All parties agreed to advance policy innovation and reform in services trade, build an open and predictable investment environment, improve regional trade facilitation and supply chain resilience, strengthen standards coordination, and enhance intellectual property protection, Wang told the media.
He also said that substantial progress was made on a framework document for regional digital trade cooperation and the ministers emphasized promoting inclusive AI development, strengthening AI-related trade, and bridging the digital divide to ensure shared benefits from digital transformation.
The minister noted that the outcomes of the meeting demonstrated strong cooperation willingness, highlighted an innovation-oriented approach, and reflected inclusiveness and shared benefits. "The fact that Asia-Pacific economies can come together, uphold the original aspiration of promoting trade and investment liberalization and facilitation while supporting economic growth and prosperity, and engage in in-depth discussions on the important issue of 'where multilateral and regional economic and trade cooperation is headed,' fully demonstrates that open regionalism and true multilateralism enjoy broad support, and that mutual success and shared development serve the fundamental interests of all economies," Wang said.
2026 APEC trade ministers' meeting concludes with fruitful results
