Newly born giant panda cubs made their debut on Thursday, also the first day of 2026, at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.
The base, located in southwest China's Sichuan Province, released a new video capturing heartwarming moments of the panda babies.
In the footage, the cubs are seen being gently held by their breeders and fed milk, while other clips show them adorably squirming on wooden structures and slowly climbing trees within the base.
China has made solid progress in giant Panda conservation. The population of captive giant pandas in China has nearly doubled over the past decade, reaching a total of 808, according to data from the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.
Moreover, to give audiences a closer look at the daily lives of the panda cubs, China Media Group (CMG), together with www.ipanda.com (iPanda), will launch New Year-themed livestreams featuring newly born panda babies on TV and the internet. The livestreams will focus on Xiao Huihui, a gray panda cub born in 2025, as well as other cubs, showcasing their growth and playful behavior in festive New Year settings.
During the broadcasts, breeders will share insights, and interesting stories about the cubs' development, offering viewers an intimate glimpse into the early lives of these beloved creatures.
Giant panda cubs make New Year debut in Chengdu
Giant panda cubs make New Year debut in Chengdu
China has seen a surge in passenger traffic on New Year's Day, the first day of its three-day New Year holiday, with significant increases in short- and medium-distance travel and strong year-on-year growth in flight bookings.
Data showed that during the holiday period, short- and medium-distance travel is the main mode of travel in China's Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, and Chengdu-Chongqing regions, with trips crossing the New Year becoming a major highlight.
Domestic flight bookings for the holiday increased by 28 percent year on year, and international flight bookings increased by approximately 14 percent year on year, according to data from Umetrip, a popular Chinese flight travel application.
"During the New Year holiday, the popularity of winter escape trips to the south increased significantly compared to previous years. On the other hand, new destinations in the south are rapidly emerging. Flight bookings to cities such as Nanning, Jieyang, Quanzhou, and Huizhou all increased by more than 70 percent year on year, becoming highlights of holiday travel growth," said Zhao Nan, general manager of the industry development department at Umetrip.
In China's coastal province of Fujian, the province's maritime administration anticipates that 143 passenger ships will be in operation during the holiday, carrying over 380,000 passengers.
The Mini Three Links, which refers to small-scale trade, shipping and postal services between Fujian province, Kinmen Island and the Matsu Island group, are expected to carry over 20,000 passengers, an increase of more than 50 percent compared to the same period last year.
China sees travel surge on New Year's Day
