A symbol of cross-continental diplomacy concluded its chapter this week as giant pandas Huan Huan and Yuan Zi returned to Sichuan's Chengdu Research Base, ending their 13-year cultural ambassadorship in France. The pair, who arrived at Beauval Zoo in 2012 as part of a cooperative agreement, became beloved icons of Sino-French collaboration.
During their stay, the pandas welcomed three cubs: Yuan Meng in 2017 and twin sisters Huan Lili and Yuan Dudu in 2021. Their offspring, now thriving under Beauval's care, remain tangible legacies of the exchange program. French zoologists and visitors bid emotional farewells to the pandas earlier this month, underscoring the initiative's success in fostering people-to-people connections.
Chinese conservation experts report both pandas are adapting well to their native climate since returning on December 3. The homecoming coincides with renewed discussions about expanding bilateral cooperation in ecological preservation, with officials from both countries highlighting this exchange as a model for international partnerships.
