Giant panda twin cubs, Qian Ran and Qian Yi, are making their first public appearance on Tuesday at Shanghai Wild Animal Park, ahead of the Chinese New Year holiday.
The twins, one male and one female, are under six months old. They were seen climbing, playing together, and occasionally cuddling, delighting visitors at the park with their adorable behavior.
"I'm so glad to see them in person. I hope the panda cubs grow up healthy and strong," said a visitor surnamed Mao.
The twins were born on Aug 22, 2025, to their mother Qian Jin, marking her first birth. Now both cubs weigh over 10 kilograms and are growing well, with strong physiques and energetic personalities. They can already climb and run independently, and have learned to drink milk from bowls.
The panda twins will officially meet boarder public on Sunday, the first day of the Chinese New Year Holiday, until Feb 23. The park has made preparations for a surge of visitors during the holiday.
"Due to limited space of the panda enclosure, we have adopted an orderly entry system during the holiday period, with each visitor allowed a limited viewing time," said Chu Qingpo, supervisor of the animal management department of Shanghai Wild Animal Park.
To mark their official public debut, the park has released a line of exclusive panda merchandise.
"We designed a series of adorable cultural products themed around Qian Ran and Qian Yi, incorporating auspicious Spring Festival elements, so visitors can take home a joyful panda memory," said Shen Siyi, supervisor of the park's business operations department.
Twin panda cubs greet first visitors in Shanghai ahead of Chinese New Year
Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Friday held a symposium at the Great Hall of the People with winners of 2025 Chinese Government Friendship Award and representatives of foreign experts who work in China.
Li extended Chinese New Year wishes and sincere greetings to the foreign experts, and thanked them for their long-term care and support for China's modernization efforts. He also listened to their opinions and suggestions on China's development and government work.
Experts from countries, including the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Uganda, Bulgaria, Belarus, and Germany, delivered speeches on topics such as scientific and technological innovation, agriculture development, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, talent cultivation, and investment and cooperation.
Li said that opening up and cooperation is common aspiration of all and the right way forward for humanity, and China will always pursue the basic state policy of opening up and expand international cooperation in various fields.
China hopes that foreign experts will continue to serve as a bridge between the country and the wider world, playing a greater role in fostering understanding and trust, and promoting exchanges and mutual learning for shared benefits, Li said.
Li also said that innovation outcomes and accomplishment that foreign experts achieved in China have broad and positive influence, benefiting not just China, but also the wider world.
Noting that the recommendations for formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan was adopted at the fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), outlining a blueprint for China's development over the next five years, Li expressed the hope that foreign experts can seize the opportunity, continue to deepen their engagement with China, and work together for a better future.
The premier also stressed that foreign experts working in China are sincere friends of the Chinese people, and the Chinese government will create a better environment for their work and life, strengthen support through innovation policies, and improve services such as visas, social security, healthcare, and education for their children.
The goal, Li said, is to help global talents working in China feel secure in their work, comfortable in their lives, and confident in their development, achieving professional success while also feeling at home in China.
Chinese premier holds symposium with foreign experts in China
