China's Premier announces new pandas for Australia during historic visit amid thawing relations

China on Sunday (June 16) offered to send Australia two new pandas as the ties between the nations improve after years of tension.

Chinese Premier Li Qiang, who was on a visit to Australia — the first by a Chinese leader in seven years, made the announcement during his visit to Adelaide Zoo.

As per the BBC, he said that the "younger" pandas will replace the current pandas, Wang Wang and Fu Ni, who Premier Li referred to as "friendly messengers of China-Australia relations."

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A significant visit

Li's visit, as mentioned above, marks the first by a Chinese leader to Australia in seven years. It symbolises a significant step towards the improvement of bilateral ties between the two nations.

He said that while pandas Wang Wang and Fu Ni would return to China by the end of the year, Beijing would "soon provide another pair of pandas that are equally beautiful, lively, cute and younger" to Adelaide Zoo.

The visit is crucial for both China and Australia in addressing unresolved trade and consular issues.

BBC reports that China is seeking to up its influence in the South Pacific and expand securityand economic ties with island states historically allied with Australia. This has been a point of tension between the two nations.

Relations hit a low point when former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison called for an international inquiry into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic in China in 2020. This, at the time, prompted Beijing to impose high tariffs on Australian products, including wine.

On his arrival in Adelaide, Li highlighted a thaw in the diplomatic rift, emphasising the importance of "mutual respect, seeking common ground while shelving differences and mutually beneficial cooperation". He said these are key to the relationship.

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 due tothe 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.

This gesture dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE) when pandas were sent as diplomatic gifts to strengthen international relations.

(With inputs from agencies)