Penda Diplomacy

These days, many countries take part in animal diplomacy.

This is when a country gives or lends its iconic animals to other countries.

They do this to strengthen friendships with their fellow nations.

They also do this to show off their national treasures.

Among all nations, China is most famous for its animal diplomacy.

In China's case, the practice even has its own name: "panda diplomacy."

Over the past 70 years, China has sent its giant pandas to zoos in many countries, including Korea and the United States.

This has made the lovable animals famous throughout the world.

However, these pandas are only on loan from the Chinese government.

Zoos overseas pay China 1 million dollars a year to raise them, but China maintains ownership over the rare animals.

Also, all baby pandas born abroad are automatically the property of China.

When the loan period ends, the pandas must be returned to China.

In 2019, this happened to some pandas in two American zoos.

The animals rode in special planes when they returned to their native land.

So, China keeps very strict control over these rare animals.

But even with these restrictions, zoos around the world want to take part in "panda diplomacy."

Wherever they go, the black-and-white bamboo eaters are very popular with zoo visitors.

 

• diplomacy dɪ|ploʊməsi (국가간의) 외교(술)  iconic aɪ|kɑːnɪk  …의 상징[아이콘]이 되는, 우상의  fellow ˈfeloʊ 동료, 동년배, (이미 언급된 것과) 비슷한 것

• practice ˈpræktɪs   실행, 실천,  관행, 관례  raise (무엇을 위로) 들어올리다  (사람몸 등을) 일으키다 , 키우다[기르다]  bamboo ˌbæmˈbuː 대나무