(ECNS) -- We hope giant pandas like Xiang Xiang will bring more joy and goodwill to the peoples of China and Japan, and people from Japan are more than welcome to visit Xiang Xiang and her pals in China, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said at the regular press conference on Tuesday.
The giant panda Xiang Xiang is on her way back to China today after living for over five years at Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Japan.
Asked "what’s China’s expectation for its relations with Japan," Wang said "we have been following the news about China’s giant panda Xiang Xiang. She is an important part of our cooperation with Japan on giant panda conservation and research, and also a beloved goodwill ambassador for the friendly exchanges between the two countries".
Wang pointed out that since Xiang Xiang was born in 2017, she has grown up healthily thanks to the care and love of peoples from various quarters of both China and Japan. She is loved by people in Japan. Together with other giant pandas living in Japan, Xiang Xiang has made unique contribution to the friendship between the Chinese and Japanese peoples.
He noted that according to the cooperation agreement between China and Japan on giant panda conservation, Xiang Xiang had originally been scheduled to return to China in 2019, but due to the COVID pandemic, the trip was postponed.
"We have seen recently that people in Japan have organized a number of events to bid farewell to Xiang Xiang. Many waited in long lines to say goodbye to her," he said.
"We fully understand why people in Japan are reluctant to see Xiang Xiang leave. We would like to tell you that China and Japan will continue to engage in cooperation on giant panda conservation and research," he added.
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