On June 12, at the Ya'an Bifengxia Base of the China Conservation and Research Center for Giant Pandas in Sichuan Province, China, the popular giant panda Xiang Xiang celebrated her 9th birthday. Xiang Xiang was born at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo in 2017 and returned to China in February 2023. This year marks her 3rd birthday celebration in her hometown of Sichuan.

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On the morning of the 12th alone, approximately 200 panda fans visited the Ya'an Bifengxia Base and left warm messages such as 'Happy Birthday' and 'Stay healthy.' Enthusiastic fans from Japan, who continue to watch over Xiang Xiang's growth, also visited the Ya'an Bifengxia Base to celebrate her birthday.

We spoke with Lan Lan, the zookeeper in charge of Xiang Xiang's care.
Lan Lan said, 'The biggest change in Xiang Xiang in the over three years since her return to China is that she has become calm and poised. Immediately after arriving, she was cautious of the new environment, but now she has fully adapted to life at the Ya'an Base. While maintaining her original gentle and docile personality, she now spends more time relaxed than before and even shows signs of confidence. Xiang Xiang is truly a 'princess' panda; she loves cleanliness and her movements are graceful. Recently, she has often been seen spending time in places easily visible to visitors and eating bamboo. Her weight change is also very significant. Her weight, which was less than 100 kg last year, has now increased to approximately 110 kg. Her appetite has also improved, and the time she spends eating bamboo during the day has increased significantly compared to before. Both mentally and physically, she is in better condition than when she first returned, and her overall health has greatly improved. Our care team will continue to carefully monitor her weight and health to ensure she maintains a healthy physique.'

On the day of the interview, we saw many Japanese fans who had come from places like Tokyo, Osaka, and Kanagawa. Among them, some fans told us they had already visited China 13 times since Xiang Xiang's return.

Many fans expressed sentiments such as, 'We were very sad when she left Japan, but now we are relieved to see her living happily in China.' It is not uncommon for people to feel joy at her healthier and more confident appearance than before.

Regarding her future, while there were voices saying, 'We want her to become a mother someday,' the wish, 'We want her to remain "girl Xiang Xiang" forever,' was also heard. Although their wishes differ, everyone shares the same desire for Xiang Xiang's happiness and health.

On the occasion of Xiang Xiang's birthday, it was once again demonstrated that giant pandas are a special existence connecting the people of China and Japan. From the sight of fans from both China and Japan watching over Xiang Xiang's growth with unwavering affection, we strongly feel the importance of human emotional connections. Peaceful development and mutual understanding are precisely the values increasingly sought in the coming era, and perhaps the path the world should take together. (Provided by/CGTN Japanese)