Chinese Premier Li Qiang said Beijing will provide Australia with a new pair of giant pandas to continue joint research into the conservation of the globally beloved animal, state media reported.
Li arrived on Saturday for a four-day official visit to Australia.
He visited Adelaide Zoo in South Australia, which has been home to Wang Wang and Fu Ni since 2009 when China loaned them as part of “panda diplomacy”. They will return to China later this year.
“Despite being far from their homeland, Wang Wang and Fu Ni are well cared for and live happily in Adelaide Zoo. They have become ambassadors of friendship between China and Australia, symbolizing the deep friendship between the two countries,” Li said.
His visit is the first visit by a Chinese premier to Australia in seven years. He is expected to discuss issues such as the trade embargo and regional security with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Canberra on Monday, AA writes.
Photo: The Telegraph
