The return trip of panda "Fubao" has not only attracted the attention of panda fans, but has also become a hot news topic in cultural exchanges between China and South Korea. Like the Fubao Panda, panda ambassadors from all over the world now serve as China's "friendly ambassadors", bringing joy to people around the world and becoming one of the favorite symbols of Chinese diplomacy among overseas people.
1. Did the Tang Dynasty begin panda diplomacy?
Pandas were first sent abroad as peace ambassadors, and the most widely circulated theory is that according to the "Royal Yearbook of Japan", in 685 AD, Emperor Kanmu of Japan received a pair of pandas and 70 pieces of fur as gifts from the Tang Dynasty government. Some scholars believe that this is the earliest panda diplomacy. But scholar Zhang Xuyan verified in his article "Changes and Challenges in Panda Diplomacy in New China" that this statement did not first appear in historical materials between China and Japan, but originated from German scholar Herbert Wendt (1914-1979), who mentioned in an article that "on October 22, 685, the Chinese emperor presented two white bears and seventy white bear skins to the Japanese emperor." Two other scholars, Ramona Morris and Desmond Morris, co authored the book "The Giant Panda" (published in 1981). Quoting this statement, it is speculated that the term "white bear" here may refer to pandas. The book "The Royal Annals of Japan" should be derived from the English name "Japanese Imperial Annals" or German translation of the "Nihon Shoki" and translated into Chinese again. The claim that pandas went to Japan during the Tang Dynasty has also attracted the attention of Japanese scholars. In addition to historical materials, they also browsed animal books from the Bird Age (592-710), but neither pictures nor records have found a giant panda similar to it.
2. "Goodwill Ambassadors" during the Anti Japanese War
During the War of Resistance Against Japan, the American people established many aid organizations to support China's resistance against Japan. Among them, the United States Joint Committee for the Relief of Chinese Refugees launched a fundraising campaign of $5 million for the relief of Chinese refugees. In 1941, Song Ailing and Song Meiling sisters, who were engaged in the relief work for Chinese refugees, learned the news of the death of Pandora, the only giant panda in the Bronx Zoo in New York. In order to express gratitude to the United States for its assistance to China, Song's two sisters proposed to present a giant panda to the American people. The Nationalist government also believed that it was possible to use pandas as gifts to strengthen the newly established wartime alliance with the United States.
At 3:00 p.m. on November 14, 1941, American envoy Tiwen flew out of Chongqing with a pair of pandas presented by Song's two sisters on behalf of the Chinese government and people. After passing through Hong Kong, Manila and Hawaii, he arrived in New York on December 30, which was nothing less than a special Christmas gift for the American people.
On the eve of Christmas in 1944, the London Zoo solemnly announced the passing of the panda "Ming" who shared the hardships with the British during World War II. To fill the gap in pandas, the British government has submitted a request to the Nationalist government to donate pandas in exchange for a full scholarship for Chinese zoologists to study at the British Academy. In May 1946, the Nationalist government announced the gift of a panda to the British government. This is a female panda, 1 year old, weighing 80 pounds, named "Lien Ho", symbolizing international unity.
Afterwards, as the Nationalist Party gradually retreated in the civil war, the Nationalist government was no longer able to arrange for panda exports, and its leading "panda diplomacy" came to an end.
3. "The cutest diplomat"
After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, as the "most naive diplomat", giant pandas continued to play their unique diplomatic role. As a "goodwill ambassador" in the field of diplomacy, the giant panda is no longer just a rare animal, but also a symbol of peace and friendship, a bridge for communication with the world, and the transmission of goodwill. The first "panda diplomacy" since the founding of New China occurred in 1957, with the recipient being the Soviet Union.
In 1957, it was the 40th anniversary of the victory of the October Revolution in Russia. In May of the same year, the Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union, Voroshilov, visited China. While visiting the Beijing Zoo, he was attracted by the cute giant pandas and hoped that China could give them as a gift. At its request, the Chinese side, in the name of Beijing Mayor Peng Zhen, presented two giant pandas, "Pingping" and "Qiqi", as "national gifts" to the Soviet government and people.
Except for the Soviet Union, from 1956 to 1980, China successively gifted five giant pandas to its friendly neighbor North Korea, including Dandan, Samsung, and Linlin. However, for a considerable period of time, given the political environment in China at that time, it was difficult for Western countries to obtain China's giant pandas through official channels. In 1950, the panda Union, who was living in the UK, passed away; On October 31, 1951, Panda, who had lived at the Bronx Zoo in New York for nearly a decade, also passed away. At that time, countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, the Federal Republic of Germany, and the Netherlands sent letters to China through various channels, hoping to obtain giant pandas through purchase, exchange, and even personal capture, but most of them were rejected by China.
On February 21-28, 1972, US President Nixon and his wife embarked on an "ice breaking trip" to China, which was dubbed by international public opinion as a "week that changed the world.". This is the first visit of a US President to the People's Republic of China, marking a new historical stage in China US relations after a 22 year "ice freeze" period. After arriving in China, the President's wife made no secret of her love for giant pandas, although her itinerary was repeatedly modified, the option of visiting the zoo to see giant pandas was always retained.
On the evening of February 22, 1972, Premier Zhou Enlai held a grand banquet at the Great Hall of the People to welcome Nixon and his wife Pat and his delegation. And promised to give two pandas as gifts to the American people. When the news returned to the United States, it immediately caused a nationwide sensation and became a topic of discussion among Americans. The Washington Post article said, "Zhou Enlai conquered the hearts of Americans all at once with his adorable pandas!"
In April 1972, giant pandas "Lingling" and "Xingxing" from Baoxing County, Sichuan Province crossed the Pacific Ocean on a special plane. When the plane arrived in Washington, more than 8000 American citizens braved the rain to greet it. Lingling and Xingxing made their debut at the National Zoo in Washington, attracting over 20000 viewers. In their first month of meeting with the audience, there were over one million visitors, and a wave of "panda fever" swept across the United States. In 1972, it was known as the "Year of the Panda" by the American people. The Panda Diplomacy, which witnessed the normalization of Sino US relations, has become a beautiful story in the history of diplomacy.
4. A barometer of national relations
Following with the United States, in the autumn of 1972, then Japanese Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka visited China. During his visit to China, Kakuei Tanaka pleaded with the Chinese side on various occasions to present a pair of giant pandas as gifts. On September 29, 1972, the Sino Japanese Joint Declaration was signed. In the afternoon, the Japanese government delegation held a press conference to announce the news of China gifting a pair of giant pandas to Japan.
In 1964, despite the obstruction of other countries, France resolutely established diplomatic relations with China and took the lead in breaking the Western blockade on China. France was the first Western power to establish ambassadorial level diplomatic relations with China. Due to the long-standing friendship and cooperation between the two countries, during President Pompidou's visit to China in 1973, he expressed to Premier Zhou the desire of the French government and people to obtain pandas. Zhou Enlai said on the spot that he would give a pair of giant pandas to France. On April 20, 1974, the Baoxing giant panda "Li Li" (female) and the Pingwu giant panda "Yan Yan" (male) took a special plane to the Vincent Zoo in Paris and were welcomed by the whole country of France.
As the first Western country to recognize New China, in May 1974, British Prime Minister Heath made a request during his visit to China, and the Chinese government agreed to give a pair of giant pandas, Jia Jia and Jing Jing, as gifts.
In 1975, in the third year after the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Mexico, the Chinese government, at the request of Mexican President Luis Echeverria, presented a pair of giant pandas named "Yingying" and "Bebe" to the Mexican government. This is the first time Mexico has its own giant panda.
In September 1978, King Carlos I of Spain visited China for the first time, and the Chinese government gifted them a pair of giant pandas named "Qiangqiang" and "Shaoshao".
To a certain extent, the whereabouts of giant pandas have become a barometer of national relations. Before 1982, China's "panda diplomacy" was a gift. In 1982, in response to the global call to protect endangered animals, China stopped the practice of giving giant pandas to foreign countries for free.
In 2007, a spokesperson for the State Forestry Administration officially announced that giant pandas would no longer be given as gifts to the public, but relevant Sino foreign cooperative research could still be conducted. In order to solve the various problems caused by giant pandas going abroad and better protect them, the China Wildlife Conservation Association and the China Zoo Association have reached an agreement with international animal protection agencies. China can send a pair of healthy and reproductive giant pandas to other countries for 10 years of cooperative research, and the offspring bred during this period belong to China. If a giant panda dies unexpectedly, its body will also belong to the Chinese side. The Chinese side can send technical experts to jointly conduct research on giant pandas with the foreign side. The foreign side will pay the Chinese side 1 million US dollars annually, and a total of 10 million US dollars will be paid over 10 years. From then on, the cutest diplomat in the world began a new career.
These "most adorable diplomats" of pandas continue to advance their great mission of enhancing friendly relations between China and foreign countries, spreading Chinese culture, and telling Chinese stories.