Giant panda Fu Bao is seen at its enclosure in the Shenshuping giant panda base of Wolong National Nature Reserve in southwest China's Sichuan Province, June 12, 2024. Photo: Xinhua

Three months after beloved giant panda Fu Bao returned to China from South Korea, Seoul is seeking to bring another giant panda to the city. Analysts said that if China and South Korea can continue to promote international cooperation in the protection of giant pandas, which should be based on goodwill rather than politicization, it will have a positive impact on the friendship between the two peoples as well as on bilateral exchanges.

According to the Korea JoongAng Daily, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon expressed his intention to work toward bringing pandas to the capital during his meeting with Tian Xiangli, Chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Sichuan Provincial Committee, on Monday. Tian said she would deliver the Seoul mayor's wish as soon as she returns to the province, the South Korean news outlet reported.

The Monday meeting came as this year marked the 10th anniversary of Seoul and Southwest China's Sichuan Province becoming friendship partners. During the meeting, the Seoul mayor also expressed hope that the giant panda Fu Bao, who recently returned to Sichuan, would play a "diplomatic role in fostering exchanges between the two countries."

Chinese analysts noted that giant pandas are loved by people all around the world and are emissaries of friendship from the people of China. More international cooperation on giant panda conservation will have a positive impact on promoting people-to-people exchanges.

"The South Korean people's deep affection and enthusiasm for giant pandas is truly heartwarming and greatly appreciated by Chinese people," Lü Chao, an expert on the Korean Peninsula issue at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

If China and South Korea can continue to carry out panda cooperation, it will undoubtedly enhance bilateral exchanges and foster stronger bonds between the two neighboring countries and their peoples, Lü said.

Echoing his words, Zhao Songsheng, manager of YueWeiLai, a Chengdu-based NGO dedicated to protecting giant pandas, told the Global Times on Wednesday that international cooperation on giant pandas serves as a valuable platform for fostering people-to-people exchanges and building mutual trust, acting as a vital catalyst in strengthening friendly ties between China and South Korea.

Seoul's request for another giant panda has sparked heated discussions among Chinese netizens, with the related topic on China's X-like platform Weibo receiving over 160 million reads as of press time. Some netizens commented that they are proud to see giant pandas being loved by people from other countries, and hope that more international friends can have the chance to see the pandas' cuteness with their own eyes.

However, some netizens worried that giant pandas may be used for political purposes, which could harm the friendship between the people of the two countries or even bilateral exchanges, and may also trigger nationalist sentiment.

Regarding the concerns, Lü noted that engaging in international cooperation on giant pandas serves as a means to convey the heartfelt sentiments of people from both countries. "Giant pandas traveling to South Korea symbolize the friendship of Chinese people, and it is imperative for both parties to approach this matter with sincerity and benevolence, and refraining from politicizing what should be a harmonious and mutually beneficial endeavor," Lü said.

Zhao emphasized the importance of maintaining a depoliticized approach in all aspects of international cooperation concerning giant pandas. He stressed the need to develop mechanisms and regulations that would enhance people-to-people exchanges between China and South Korea in relation to giant pandas.

In April, Fu Bao, the first giant panda born in South Korea, returned to China as a throng of people gathered to bid farewell to the beloved panda. However, her departure was followed by rumors in her birthplace that "China abuses Fu Bao," which circulated on social media platforms, sparking a massive movement to "save Fu Bao" and "return Fu Bao."

Analysts noted that the incident was actually an expression of dissatisfaction with China of some parties in South Korea, but a small group of people could not represent the majority on the two sides. Looking ahead, there is great potential for China and South Korea to further deepen cultural exchanges to enhance mutual understanding and friendship, according to observers.

China and South Korea launched a joint research project on giant panda conservation in 2016, and the two sides have had fruitful cooperation in raising, breeding, scientific research and technology exchanges with regard to giant pandas, which helped enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the people of the two countries, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on April 3.