Tears flow as Japan sends Xiang Xiang the giant panda 'home' to China
The teary farewell
Around 60,000 people applied to catch one last look of Xiang Xiang. However, the spots were limited, and only 2,600 got the chance to say goodbye to her. The spots were distributed via a lottery system.
What about the rest?
Even though only 2,600 won the lottery, Xiang Xiang's other fans also showed up to the Ueno zoo to bid her farewell — content to just "breathe the same air" as her.
Talking to Asahi Shimbun, one fan Mari Asai said that they wanted to breathe the same air as Xiang Xiang. "Even if I cannot see her, my heart is filled with joy knowing she's there," said Asai.
As per AFP, every day the zoo received calls and emails from people, asking them to keep Xiang Xiang in Japan.
Who is Xiang Xiang?
Xiang Xiang is a female giant panda, who was born in Tokyo's Ueno Zoo back in 2017.
Since her birth, Xiang Xiang has drawn enormous crowds to the zoo. She was the first giant panda to be born in the Ueno Zoo through natural breeding.
"Everything about her is adorable, whether sleeping or awake," said one of the Panda's fans.
Why is she being sent to China?
Her parents Shin Shin and Ri Ri were "loaned" to Japan by China as part of Beijing's 'panda diplomacy'. The parents and Xiang Xiang thus belong to China.
She was scheduled to travel to China back in 2021, but the journey was delayed five times due to the coronavirus pandemic.
What is panda diplomacy?
Panda diplomacy is China's unique tool of diplomacy. From 1941 to 1984, Beijing used to gift pandas to other nations, however following a policy change, the status change of pandas to 'endangered' in 1984, it started leasing the animal.
Any baby pandas born to the leased pandas are automatically the property of the People's Republic of China.
Is it a paid lease?
Yes, the lease is valued at $1 million per panda, and this money is used by China for Panda conservation projects. Furthermore, the nations pay $400,000 for every cub born from the leased pandas.
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