Japan returns giant pandas to China amid tensions

Thousands of people flocked to a Japanese zoo on Sunday to say goodbye to the country’s last two giant pandas, who are due to return to China on Tuesday.

Emotions were high at Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo as people queued, some for as long as three and a half hours, to see twin cubs Xiaoxiao and Lei Lei for the last time.

This comes at a very tense time between Tokyo and Beijing. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said that if China attacks Taiwan, Tokyo will intervene in military operations, and relations between the two countries have deteriorated sharply.

The twins’ departure will leave Japan without any pandas for the first time since the two countries normalized diplomatic relations in 1972.

The People’s Republic of China has used giant pandas as gesture of goodwill Since its founding in 1949, it has been committed to the development of its international allies and competitors.

But China retains ownership of all giant pandas it loans to foreign countries, including cubs born abroad. In return, the host country pays around $1 million (£790,000) per pair per year.

About 108,000 people competed to grab one of 4,400 available seats to get a last look at the zoo’s beloved giant pandas, according to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

One woman told the BBC: “I’ve been taking my son here with me since he was a baby so I hope this will be a great memory for him. I’m delighted we can be here today to honor them.”

Another woman recalled witnessing the growth of a giant panda. “It’s such a joy to watch their growth, especially from when they are very young,” she said.

Photos show some tourists sobbing as they say goodbye to the bears.

Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei People born in 2021 At Ueno Zoo, their mother Shin Shin and father Ri Ri are both on loan to Japan for breeding research.

Most recently, China’s panda loans coincided with the signing of major trade agreements. In 2011, during negotiations over contracts to supply salmon meat, Land Rover vehicles and energy technology to China, the two sides agreed to loan two giant pandas to Scotland’s Edinburgh Zoo.

In recent years, many giant pandas have been returned to China – loan agreements usually last 10 years, but extensions are common.

However, the prospects for new Panda loans to Japan remain uncertain. line of constant upgrades.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks about Taiwan have angered Beijing, which considers the self-ruled island part of its territory and has not ruled out using force to “unify” with Taiwan.

Since then, both sides have become increasingly hostile toward each other. Earlier this month, China tightened restrictions on exports of rare earth-related products to Japan.