PM Li Qiang Hopes Australia Becomes A Home Comfortable For Giant Pandas From China

UNSPLASH/Lukas ILLUSTRATION W.

JAKARTA - Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang hopes Australia will continue its policy of becoming a comfortable home for a giant panda from China.

"China is ready to continue research in cooperation with Australia on giant panda conservation, and hopes Australia will continue to be a friendly home for giant pandas," PM Li said in a written statement reported by ANTARA, Monday, June 17.

PM Li conveyed this at the Panda Pavilion at the Adelaide Zoo, Australia, during a working visit since Saturday (15/6), one of his agendas was to review cooperation research between China and Australia on the conservation of giant pandas at the Adelaide Zoo.

Adelaide Zoo is the only zoo in Australia that keeps giant pandas.

During the visit PM Li listened to expert reports from China and Australia regarding cooperation research on giant panda conservation between the two countries as well as giant panda breeding and treatment in Australia.

"The only pair of giant pandas in the southern hemisphere, Wang Wang and Fu Ni, now live in the Adelaide Zoo. I am happy to see even though they are far from the country, Wang Wang and Fu Ni are well cared for and living a happy life in Australia," said PM Li.

Wang Wang and Fu Ni are said to have been the representatives of friendship between China and Australia, as well as a symbol of deep friendship between the two nations.

"This story tells us that as long as both sides are committed to maintaining good China-Australia cooperation, they can overcome the very distance from the Pacific Ocean and any differences between us to achieve mutual progress and mutually beneficial results," added PM Li.

PM Li also said that the Chinese government has taken a number of steps over the years to preserve giant pandas and achieve extraordinary progress in its positive contribution to global efforts to protect biodiversity and endangered animals.

During the visit, local elementary school students also sang panda-themed songs for PM Li in Mandarin and she had a chance to talk with the children.

PM Li revealed that children are welcome to visit China, see the birthplace and habitat of giant pandas, enjoy beautiful views and Chinese culture and make themselves the little messengers of friendship between China and Australia.

South Australian Governor Frances Adamson, South Australian Prime Minister Peter Malinauskas, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Trade Minister and Tourism Don Farrell accompanied PM Li while traveling around the zoo.

Adelaide Zoo has been home to Wang Wang Wang and Fu Ni since 2009 when they were loaned away as part of " panda diplomacy".

China initially loaned them for 10 years but a deal was reached to extend the loan over the next five years, ending in November 2024.

However, the two pandas have not produced offspring to date. Australia's efforts to breed these pandas, including through artificial insemination, have experienced several failures.

Wang Wang and Fu Ni themselves became one of the zoo's attractions, including increasing the number of visits by 150,000 people in the first year of panda arrivals and the couple continued to be one of the most popular parts of the zoo over the next 15 years.

It is currently estimated that there are 1,860 giant pandas left in the wild, according to the WWF environmental group.