The Mianyang base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda held a soft opening on Sunday to assess its capacity to serve 6,000 daily visitors, ahead of its scheduled official inauguration next Monday.
The new giant panda base, which has been built after three years of construction, is seated at an ecological park in Mianyang City covering an area of about 120 hectares.
The base boasts 54 sets of giant panda enclosures and is up to strict giant panda breeding standards.
According to the base, the soft opening thoroughly evaluated the ticketing system, visitor routes, venue capacity, service facilities, and emergency response protocols.
The base is now ready to open to the public, and all the giant pandas are in good condition, said its staff.
"The Mianyang base now houses 20 giant pandas of all ages, and they have adapted well. At first, some were nervous and had a reduced appetite after their arrival. However, they are improving and are as active as ever," said Huang Zhi, head of the management and operation group for the preparatory working group at the base.
Each outdoor facility for the giant pandas features a specially designed climbing structure. Constructed from reinforced concrete with a log-like design, it prioritizes safety, durability, and stability. Real logs are placed on top, creating a natural environment for the pandas.
"We do not just build the structures. We have created a livable ecosystem. Strength and durability of the architectures are not our only goals. We want to build a functional ecological space that actively promotes the natural behaviors of giant pandas. To achieve this, our team has planted 900 trees in the park and developed a 5,400-square-meter rocky landscape with realistic shapes and textures," said Feng Liang, project manager of the base.
Feng added that the base has also built colony houses for red pandas, snub-nosed monkeys, sika deer and takins.
China's new giant panda base holds soft opening ahead of inauguration
China's new giant panda base holds soft opening ahead of inauguration
The recent erroneous remarks made by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding China's Taiwan region have taken a heavy toll on the country's tourism sector with mass cancellations of trips from Chinese tourists.
During a recent parliamentary hearing, Takaichi cited the so-called "survival-threatening situation" -- a trigger designed by the controversial 2015 law -- and linked it to the Taiwan question, suggesting Tokyo might treat the Taiwan question as grounds for military involvement under the legislation.
Osaka, a city heavily reliant on inbound tourism, has experienced a sharp drop in the number of Chinese tourists following Takaichi's provocative remarks, with travel agencies and service-sector workers reporting a dramatic surge in cancellations by Chinese tour groups.
One company specializing in inbound tourism said their business had taken a direct hit.
"We have no Chinese tourists coming now. Almost all Chinese group bookings have been canceled. Chinese tourists usually make up about 30 to 40 percent of our clientele. Because of this situation, our sales have dropped by around 30 percent," said Hashimoto Tsuyoshi, head of CONER Co., Ltd., a bus and travel company based in Osaka.
At the company's parking lot, rows of idle tour buses painted a stark picture of the downturn.
Tsuyoshi said roughly 30 percent of the vehicles have been taken off the road, but operating costs remain high.
"Even parked buses need maintenance. Whether it's parking fees, staffing costs, or taxes, it all adds up. Buses have to keep running to bring in profits," he said.
Signs of a similar tourism slump remain across Kyoto, where local businesses are also heavily dependent on Chinese tourists.
A well-known restaurant in the city center described the sharp decline in the number of Chinese tourists as alarming.
"Of our foreign customers, around 80 percent were Chinese. About 60 percent of them have now canceled their reservations. More than half of our revenue came from Chinese tourists. If this situation continues, honestly, we're very worried," said Shino Mieko, manager of a local restaurant.
She also noted the spillover effects on Kyoto's broader tourism chain, including retail and accommodation sectors.
"Kyoto's economy depends on tourism. Hotels are also struggling too, and they have seen a big drop in guests. It's so unfortunate. Chinese tourists used to come and buy lots of local products. Now that number has plunged. We all feel the same, regretful and saddened," said Mieko.
Japanese PM's erroneous remarks on China's Taiwan take heavy toll on tourism
