Ai Bao and the twin cubs Photo: IC

Giant panda Ai Bao gave birth to female twin cubs on July 7 at South Korea's Everland Resort. The twin cubs are the first pair of giant panda cubs born overseas this year and also the first giant panda twins born in South Korea, which have cheered up both Chinese and South Korean people after the news came out on Tuesday.

Through the joint efforts of experts from both China and South Korea, 9-year-old giant panda Ai Bao successfully gave birth to one cub at 4:52 am and the other at 6:39 am on Friday in South Korea. The elder cub weighed 180 grams, while the younger one weighed 140 grams. Currently, Ai Bao and the twin cubs are in a stable condition, according to the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda on Tuesday.

"This is a heartwarming good news," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at Tuesday's regular press briefing. The giant panda is China's national treasure and a name card for the country, as well as a messenger helping to promote friendly exchanges between China and other countries, said Wang. 

Wang said that Fu Bao, Ai Bao's first baby, is deeply loved by the South Korean people, so it is believed that the birth of the twin giant pandas will also bring joy and happiness to everyone. "We hope these two giant panda cubs will grow up well and play a positive role in enhancing the people-to-people friendship between the two countries just like their sister Fu Bao," Wang noted.

On the same day, the Chinese Embassy in South Korea also sent best wishes to the twin giant panda cubs and expressed the hope they can grow healthily and continue to inject new positive energy into enhancing the friendship between China and South Korea.

Lü Chao, an expert on the Korean Peninsula issue at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday that the news of the twin giant panda cubs has made netizens from both China and South Korea excited and joyful. It's hoped that "the good news" could help enhance friendship and understanding between people from the two sides, Lü said.

Giant pandas Ai Bao and her mate Le Bao arrived in South Korea in March 2016 on a 15-year lease. Ai Bao gave birth to a female cub, Fu Bao, the first baby giant panda born in South Korea, in July 2020. 

In February, Ai Bao succeeded in a natural mating with Le Bao, according to the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda.

The birth of the twin giant pandas has cheered up netizens of both countries.

The hashtag for the news had gained more than 900 million views on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo as of Tuesday evening, as numerous netizens sent their best wishes to the twin cubs, their sister Fu Bao and parents. Netizens have even started to suggest names for the cubs. 

"I'm so happy about the news today." "Well done, Ai Bao!"