Shanghai-gifted red pandas win hearts in Taipei

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Two red pandas gifted by Shanghai Zoo made their public debut at Taipei Zoo on Wednesday, drawing enthusiastic crowds at the welcoming ceremony. 

The three-year-old male, Le Le, was the first of the pair to meet the public on Wednesday, while the two-year-old female, Tian Tian, was scheduled to make her debut on Thursday.

"I brought my granddaughter here today specially to see the red panda. We're happy to see him," said a visitor.

The pair arrived in Taipei on June 6 under an exchange program launched through the Shanghai-Taipei City Forum. After completing more than a month of quarantine and acclimatization, both animals are in good health and are settling in to their new home, zoo caretakers said. 

At a welcoming ceremony, Taipei Zoo introduced the red pandas' Chinese names, saying they reflected the public's wish that the animals would bring "tian" (sweetness) and "le" (joy) to visitors.

Le Le quickly charmed onlookers with his reddish-brown coat, round face and bushy, ringed tail. At ease in his outdoor enclosure, he climbed elevated platforms, wandered through the vegetation and eagerly explored a bamboo enrichment toy prepared by his keepers. 

A zoo caretaker described the adorable animals' charming yet distinct personalities.  

"When they just arrived here, Le Le adapted quickly and was lively and outgoing. We can see Le Le was trained well at Shanghai Zoo. Tian Tian, by contrast, was more cautious and always kept distance with the zoo keepers at the beginning. However, after a month of adapting the food here and the zoo keepers, they both adapt well now," said Ch'en Hui-lun, person in charge of the temperate animal area of Taipei Zoo. 

To welcome the newcomers, Taipei Zoo upgraded the red panda enclosure to better replicate the animals' natural habitat, adding interconnected climbing structures, rope ladders, shaded shelters and additional hiding spaces. Viewing areas were also redesigned with floor-to-ceiling glass panels and lower sightlines to improve visibility for children.

The exchange stems from a memorandum on red panda conservation and species exchange signed by Shanghai Zoo and Taipei Zoo during the 2024 Shanghai-Taipei City Forum. 

Shanghai Zoo and Taipei Zoo have conducted more than 10 exchange visits since 2010, cooperating in animal husbandry, veterinary medicine and scientific research.

"Having the red pandas at Taipei Zoo is not only a tangible outcome of the 'Shanghai-Taipei City Forum,' but also a shared responsibility we both bear in conserving endangered species and ensuring the sustainable development of biodiversity. Through this species exchange and our cooperation, we will extend our partnership into professional talent training, and scientific research. I truly believe this is a rare and valuable achievement," said Chiang Wan-an, mayor of Taipei, during his speech at the welcome ceremony for the red pandas.

Red pandas are listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species.  

Shanghai-gifted red pandas win hearts in Taipei

China on Thursday sternly warned Japan over its nuclear ambition, calling it "a red line that should never be crossed". Ministry of National Defense spokesman Jiang Bin made the statement at a press briefing.

Jiang described recent remarks by the Japanese defense minister as "extremely provocative and dangerous", saying they had once again exposed Japan's pretense and lies to the international community.

His comments came after the Japanese defense chief said several times that Japan should discuss nuclear-weapon-related policies without taboos, including whether to revise the three non-nuclear principles -- the policy of not possessing, manufacturing, or allowing the introduction of nuclear weapons that Japan has long been adhering to since the end of World War II.

"The remarks from the Japanese defense minister are highly provocative and dangerous, and once again expose Japan's pretense and lies to the international community. I wonder whether the Japanese side is using these remarks to test public opinion tolerance and pave the way for its ill attempts to challenge the bottom line of international justice. It is highly vigilant that Japan, an internationally recognized nuclear-threshold state, has stockpiled approximately 44.4 metric tons of separated plutonium and long maintained the capability for a rapid nuclear breakout," said Jiang.

Japan's attempt to breach the three non-nuclear principles seriously violates its obligations under international law as stipulated in the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, severely undermining the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, he said.

"Japan's pursuit of breaking through the 'Three Non-Nuclear Principles' severely violates its international legal obligations under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, undermines the global non-proliferation regime and threatens the post-war international order. Japan's nuclear ambition is a red line that should never be crossed. Otherwise, if the Pandora's box is opened, the consequences would be catastrophic.The international community and the Japanese public must remain highly vigilant and resolutely contain such a tendency," Jiang said.

China says Japan's nuclear ambition is "red line that should never be crossed"