I remember reading somewhere that an image of a panda was used in ancient China in the same way as a white flag is used in the West. I’m not sure if that’s actually true, but it would make perfect sense if you think of it. These bamboo-eating fur-balls are the cuddliest, clumsiest and least threatening of all the eight species of bears. An ideal symbol of peace!

Fun fact: For a long time zoologists believed that giant pandas were related to racoons rather than bears, but recent DNA studies have revealed that giant pandas are, in fact, genuine bears of the family Ursidae.

Even if pandas were not a symbol of peace in ancient China, the fluffy black and white bears have become a central element of modern China’s “soft power” image. Unlike “hard power” diplomacy with its tools of military threat and economic sanctions, soft power refers to foreign policy initiatives that are aimed at influencing another state’s behaviour through attraction rather than coercion.

There are less than 2,000 giant pandas in the wild and they live exclusively in mainland China. Because everyone in the world loves pandas, this gives China leverage in dealing with foreign countries. Since the 1940s, first the Republic of China and then the People’s Republic of China gifted pandas to zoos in those states with which they wanted to establish friendly relations. In the 1970s the practice of sending pandas as envoys of peace and goodwill to countries, such as the USA or the UK, not only contributed to the diplomatic recognition of Communist China in the West, but also turned these exotic animals into global celebrities.

Since 1984, apparently recognising the political importance of maintaining its monopoly over pandas, China no longer gifts pandas but instead offers them to foreign zoos as long-term loans. After the expiration of the loan period, pandas are repatriated to China and the small print in lease agreements stipulates that any offspring of those pandas also remains the property of the People’s Republic of China. This last point is especially important because breeding pandas in captivity is very difficult. It might have something to do with domesticated pandas being more interested in eating free food than in making love, but their low fertility rate is also related to the panda’s unusual menstrual cycle.

Fun fact: Female pandas ovulate once a year and can get pregnant for only 1-3 days. They usually give birth to one cub every two years.

To help pandas learn about “the birds and the bees”, a special breeding research centre was set up in Chengdu, the capital of China’s Sichuan province where pandas also live in the wild. Working in this panda nursery is definitely the best job in the world! The responsibilities of panda nannies include feeding, cuddling and chasing after panda cubs who constantly fall of trees and fun parks. Even though pandas are extremely clumsy, their thick fur protects them from any harm. If you don’t believe me, just have a look at the iPanda channel on Instagram.

Zoological gardens that receive pandas on loan from China also go to extreme lengths to facilitate breeding. This is perfectly understandable, because there is no greater attraction for a zoo than a cute little bear cub! However, some of the methods used to increase panda fertility rates are rather questionable and range from artificial insemination to… making reluctant pandas watch video tutorials on how to mate. If the zookeepers eventually succeed in getting pandas to do the deed, pregnant females are treated as royalty and receive extra food rations.

Some ten years ago, when I lived in Edinburgh, Scottish media broke the news that a female panda in the local zoo was expecting a baby. Given the abovementioned problems with breeding pandas in captivity, this was a real sensation for panda-enthusiast in Scotland. Imagine my surprise when it soon turned out that the panda faked the pregnancy when she realised it would get her more food!

More recently I saw on Polish tv a news story about Xiang Xiang, a female panda who was born in a Tokyo zoo in 2017. Her parents, Ri Ri and Shin Shin, were loaned by China to boost the spirits of Japanese people following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. Xiang Xiang became a huge star in Japan and conquered the hearts of many devoted fans. After five years, however, the Japanese-born panda was “repatriated” to China to find a mate. Xiang Xiang’s departure from Tokyo on 21 February 2023 was attended by a crowd of emotional fans who travelled to Ueno Zoo from all-over the country to see their beloved panda one last time and wave her goodbye as she embarked on a chartered plane to Chengdu.

The popularity of Xiang Xiang and other pandas, loaned to Japan by China as messengers of friendship and goodwill, is remarkable given the strained history of Sino-Japanese relations. During the Second World War Japanese troops committed unspeakable crimes in China for which Japanese politicians have never formally apologised. It seems that, where people failed, pandas might actually bring forth the much-needed rapprochement between the two neighbouring peoples.

Cynics will say that panda diplomacy is just a smoke screen that is meant to deflect the world’s attention from China’s growing military strength and increasingly aggressive gunboat diplomacy in the South China Sea. They might be right, but I still think that, as a species, we have a lot to learn from the pandas. Like all the other bears from the Ursidae family, pandas were once carnivores but evolved into bamboo-munching vegetarians.

Can you imagine humans turning away from war and embracing peace?