French first lady Brigitte Macron paid a special visit to an old friend in southwest China's Chengdu on Friday, as she stopped off to see an eight-year-old male panda which was born in France but was later returned to China.
The happy encounter came as French President Emmanuel Macron's three-day state visit to China reached a heartwarming conclusion, with Brigitte Macron heading to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Sichuan Province to be reunited with Yuan Meng (meaning "accomplishment of a dream"), the panda she helped name following its birth at France's ZooParc de Beauval (Beauval Zoo).
Yuan Meng's parents, Huan Huan, and Yuan Zi, arrived in France in 2012 at the age of three on a 10-year loan from China. In 2017, Huan Huan gave birth to twin cubs, the first cub died shortly after birth and the second one was named "Yuan Meng".
When "Yuan Meng" returned to China after completing its stay in France in July 2023, First Lady Brigitte went to the airport in person to see it off and expressed that she would come to China to see it if an opportunity arises.
This trip was her wish coming true. Upon arriving at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Brigitte was very concerned about "Yuan Meng's" life in China. She learned from the staff that "Yuan Meng" had adapted very well after returning to China and was being taken care of by dedicated breeders.
"We would be very glad if pandas could come to France again in the future," said the French first lady.
French first lady meets her "old friend" in China
French first lady meets her "old friend" in China
French first lady meets her "old friend" in China
More than 20 students from Ivy League universities in the United States visited China's Southwest Jiaotong University in on Tuesday, where they got a first-hand look at a fast-moving technological innovation that could power future transportation.
The students paid a visit to a special demonstration lab in Chengdu, the capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, where they explored the world’s first high-temperature superconducting magnetic levitation prototype and test line, taking part in some fun hands-on experiments and even enjoying a brief trial ride.
Experts say the system could exceed speeds of 600 kilometers per hour, helping to further narrow the gap between high-speed rail and air travel.
The students' visit came as part of a week-long language and cultural exchange program, giving the young participants the chance to experience daily life in Chengdu while learning more about China.
The exchange event comes at a momentous time for China-U.S. relations, with U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday wrapping up a three-day state visit to China at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, which marked the first such trip by a U.S. president in nine years.
The students taking part in the Chengdu activity said exchanges like the one they have embarked on can help deepen trust and expand cooperation between the U.S. and China.
"The positive signals I am hoping to see is that right now I see China and the United States as two powerful and very important countries in this world. But they also both have a lot of potential, and I think that if they work together, they can make some tremendous change across the world," said Alex Davenport, a student from Mount Holyoke College.
"America and China are two of the largest superpowers in the world right now, and I think politically and culturally it’s really great to communicate with one another," said Caroline Ewald, a student at the University of Pittsburgh.
Others are hoping that Trump's landmark visit will also help improve ties.
"That's probably the biggest thing I am look for is try to cool down the trade stuff that's going on in the U.S.," said McKenna Lundy, a student from the University of Michigan.
China is seen as a world leader in maglev technology. Last December, the country's Hubei East Lake Laboratory announced a groundbreaking achievement, with its test line accelerating a 1.1-tonne model train to an astonishing 800 kilometers per hour in just 5.3 seconds -- a milestone in electromagnetic propulsion research.
The technology is also proving its worth at more manageable speeds, with a restaurant in the southern Chinese tech hub of Shenzhen going viral earlier this year after it used magnetic levitation to serve food, with plates seen floating along tracks to arrive smoothly in front of each diner.
US students get taste of high-speed technology with visit to top maglev lab in Sichuan
