Staff at the Mianzhu management station of the Giant Panda National Park in southwest China have recently captured the rare and heart-melting footage of a wild giant panda mother cuddling her tiny cub.
The infrared camera video shows the panda mom is sitting calmly with her baby tucked safely in her arms. It seems that they are enjoying a peaceful break in the forest.
After a short rest, the panda mom gently lifts the cub in her mouth and strolls slowly out of view, careful and deliberate with every step.
"The cub appears to be only a few months old and is not yet able to move around on its own, requiring its mother's care. Giant panda cubs usually stay with their mothers for about one and a half to two years, learning essential survival skills such as foraging and avoiding danger before they can live independently," said Lin Lihong, deputy head of the station.
In another clip pulled from the infrared cameras, an adult panda appears to notice the lens, stares curiously for a while, and then wanders off into the woods.
The sightings reflect the area's improving habitat. In recent years, local authorities have invested heavily in protection efforts, upgrading breeding base facilities and refining management practices to create a safer, healthier environment for wild pandas to thrive and raise their young.
Wild Giant panda mom recorded cuddling cub in southwest China
A group of Japanese people took to the street in Tokyo on Thursday, demanding Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to retract her erroneous remarks concerning China's Taiwan region and opposing her plan to expand the military.
At a Diet meeting on Nov 7, Takaichi claimed that the Chinese mainland's "use of force on Taiwan" could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan and implied the possibility of armed intervention in the Taiwan Strait, which has immediately sparked strong criticism at home and abroad.
Some protesters gathering near the National Diet Building were holding placards against Takaichi regime's efforts to incite war and promote xenophobia, while others read "smash military buildup budget," as Takaichi's blatant interference into China's internal affairs seems to be part of her attempt to lift Japan's military restrictions using the so-called external threats as an excuse.
"The China-Japan Joint Statement has already confirmed the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. Japan once invaded and occupied Taiwan for 50 years. Is Japan to repeat the disastrous policy? It's the Japanese people's responsibility to prevent that from happening," said a protester.
"Japan did invade China and killed many Chinese people in history. Instead of soul-searching, the Japanese government is seeking to do it again. This must not be allowed," said another protester.
In late November, the Japanese government approved a supplementary budget proposal for fiscal 2025 (April 2025-March 2026), boosting defense spending to 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) ahead of schedule.
Japan's accelerated increase in defense spending and remilitarization attempts over the past few years have raised widespread concerns and opposition and reignited doubts about the country's future direction.
"The Constitution says armed forces 'will never be maintained,' yet Japan has self-defense forces now. This is self-contradictory. In nature it's no different from the situation before the end of the war," said another protester.
Japanese rally against PM, military buildup
