China loves Pandas more than ever - this ensures turbulence in Beijing

China loves Pandas more than ever - this ensures turbulence in Beijing

Every morning at 7:30 a.m., a race begins on the edge of Chengdu, a spacious Chinese metropolis, known for their sharp hotpot, old tea houses and the most popular animal in the country - the red pandas. At the gates of the famous Chengdu Panda base racing fans to the leathery "villa" of her prominent resident: Hua Hua, the most famous panda China. Among them is A’Qiu, who rents an apartment nearby and shares his bedroom with dozens of fabric bears in black and white.

a daily ritual for the Pandafans

The 32-year-old rides a bike to the Panda base every morning to see Hua Hua and to shoot videos from the Promipanda for his 10,000 followers on Douyin, the sister app from Tikkok. In summer it even gets up at 3 a.m. to be at the forefront in line. "Just seeing her face makes me incredibly happy," he says.

Hua Hua: The star under the pandas

rare, fluffy and irresistibly sweet - pandas are loved all over the world. But Hua Hua's star power is incomparable. The four-year-old Panda lady is so popular that only 30 people can be admired for just three minutes before security forces accompany them out again. On busy weekends or public holidays, tens of thousands of visitors from all over China spend more than two hours in the queue, just to catch a glimpse of them.

panda as a cultural symbol

in Chengdu you can find Hua Hua's face everywhere - in souvenir shops, cafes, post offices and on poster walls. She also enjoys a huge supporter on the social media of China, where her videos have achieved billions of calls. Hua Hua's unprecedented popularity embodies a new wave of the "pandamonium" that China has captured. After years of government effort, this was done to make the great panda from a little -known animal into a cultural icon and national symbol that is also an important diplomatic tool.

The challenge for the government

But the success of the Umbranding campaign for Pandas has presented Beijing with unexpected challenges, since the government is trying to weigh the use of animals for the urgently needed switch abroad against the demands of the revering public, whose desire is to protect their "national treasure".

panda diplomacy and national identity

While many Chinese are proud to share pandas with the world, there are some-including a loud group of online influencers-that are against the shipping of their loved ones to the USA and other "unfriendly" countries and do this out of concern that they could be abused there.

The return to breeding and renaturation

The growing love of the Chinese to the pandas has also led to an increased critical assessment of the breeding practices in the breeding centers and zoos within China. Critics call for a review of the techniques used in the breeding program, especially after reports on painful methods for artificial fertilization.

The look into the future of the pandas

The long -term vision provides for the pandas return to the wilderness, and a large population in captivity is essential. The huge national park for giant pandas, which was set up in 2021, is the first step in this direction because it connects the existing reserves and combines isolated populations.

in Chengdu, Hua Hua enjoys her breakfast from Bambussprossen, while the crowd admires each of her movements. The panda has become a national sensation for many, and its relaxed manner is admired by millions of young people who strive for peace in China's slowly growing economy.