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Fan Chen

France is poised to get a pair of pandas in 2027 as part of a new decade-long loan agreement finalised following President Emmanuel Macron’s three-day visit to China.
On Thursday, the China Wildlife Conservation Association announced it had agreed with France’s Beauval Zoo to extend their international cooperation on giant panda conservation with the aim of boosting Sino-French exchanges.
According to the group’s statement, the two giant pandas are expected to arrive at the zoo in Saint-Aignan in central France in 2027 for a 10-year cooperation period.
In 2012, the Beauval Zoo welcomed pandas Huan Huan and Yuan Zi under a Sino-French cooperative research agreement.
The two 17-year-old pandas were returned to China last month because of Huan Huan’s chronic kidney disease, a common condition in bears around her age.
On Friday, Brigitte Macron, France’s first lady, visited the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding after a tour of one of the world’s oldest and still functioning irrigation systems in the city of Dujiangyan.

She visited Yuan Meng – the first giant panda born in France – to whom she is “godmother”.
Yuan Meng is Huan Huan and Yuan Zi’s baby as well as the first panda cub born in France through artificial insemination and genetic research. His birth in 2017 was hailed as a breakthrough and milestone for European wildlife conservation.
Yuan Meng arrived in China in 2023, as required by the country’s panda diplomacy policy. The French first lady called his birth a symbol of the “absolutely unbreakable friendship” between the two countries.
Since his return to China, Yuan Meng’s condition has been described as very good. Staff at the Chengdu Panda Base told Brigitte Macron during her tour that he had gained 10kg (22lbs).
Panda diplomacy has been a long-standing practice of China’s in which the bears are sent across the globe as symbols of friendship and soft-power ambassadors.
Chengdu in Sichuan province is a natural habitat for giant pandas. It houses world-leading panda research facilities for the species’ breeding and conservation.
The French president and first lady’s rare trip to Chengdu was about more than just pandas.
Chengdu and Montpellier in southern France were the first pair of friendship cities established between China and France. Over the past 44 years, Chengdu and Montpellier have jointly founded international schools named after each other’s cities.
Chengdu is also a key transport hub between China and Europe as one of the major terminals for the China-Europe Railway Express. Last month, more than 120,000 trains operated on the network, according to state news agency Xinhua.
The French presidential couple’s trip to Chengdu formed part of a three-day state visit to China.
On Thursday, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for deepening bilateral collaborations in the aerospace, nuclear energy, digital economy, biopharmaceutical and artificial intelligence sectors.
Meanwhile, the French president urged “a balanced relationship” between Paris and Beijing and sought China’s help in ending the war between Russia and Ukraine.
The two leaders also signed deals covering energy, agriculture, education and the environment.


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Giant panda Yuan Meng was born in France and now lives in Chengdu. The new 10-year loan agreement will send two giant pandas from China to France in 2027. Photo: Reuters

Brigitte Macron, wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, visits the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China’s Sichuan province on Friday. Photo: Reuters

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French leader Emmanuel Macron, his wife Brigitte Macron, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan pictured during their trip to Dujiangyan in Sichuan. Photo: AFP

Xi Jinping and Emmanuel Macron with their wives Peng Liyuan and Brigitte Macron at the Dujiangyan Unesco World Heritage site, in Sichuan province on Friday. Photo: AFP

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Presidents Xi Jinping and Emmanuel Macron at a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Photo: Reuters 

Xi and Macron walk after reviewing an honour guard at the Great Hall of the People on Thursday. Photo: Reuters 

Chinese and French first ladies Peng Liyuan and Brigitte Macron pictured at Thursday’s welcome ceremony. Photo: Reuters

Flag-waving children greeted the two leaders in Beijing. Photo: Reuters

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French President Emmanuel Macron arrives in Beijing for a three-day visit to China on Wednesday. Photo: EPA

Chinese President Xi Jinping and French President Emmanuel Macron shake hands during Macron’s last trip to Beijing, in April 2023. The French leader begins a three-day visit to China on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters

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China

Diplomacy

New decade-long loan agreement involving the soft-power ambassadors struck as countries’ leaders seek to boost Sino-French exchanges


New decade-long loan agreement involving the soft-power ambassadors struck as countries’ leaders seek to boost Sino-French exchanges.


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France poised to get 2 giant pandas in 2027 after Macron’s visit to China

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}New decade-long loan agreement involving the soft-power ambassadors struck as countries’ leaders seek to boost Sino-French exchanges

New decade-long loan agreement involving the soft-power ambassadors struck as countries’ leaders seek to boost Sino-French exchanges