South Korea’s beloved giant panda, Fubao, bids farewell as she prepares to return to China in early April as part of panda diplomacy.

Fubao, whose name translates to “lucky treasure,” has captured numerous online aunties' hearts since her birth in 2020 at the Everland theme park located in Yongin, South Korea.

Since her birth, Fubao has been one of South Korea’s most famous celebrities, marking her significance as the country's first Korean-born panda.

However, Fubao will be transferred to the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Sichuan Province due to panda diplomacy, which mandates the return of baby pandas at the age of four.

Since the 1950s, China’s panda diplomacy has leased pandas to other nations as goodwill animal ambassadors, representing China’s soft diplomacy.

It involves sending pandas, rare animals globally recognized as symbols of China, to other countries to foster friendly relations between nations.

Currently, 21 countries, including South Korea, participate in China’s panda diplomacy program, hosting around 70 pandas abroad.

Fubao’s parents, Ai Bao and Le Bao, arrived in South Korea in 2016 as part of this program.

Throughout her time in South Korea, Fubao played a positive role in enhancing diplomatic relations between the two nations.

On her last day, March 3rd, thousands of fans gathered to see Fubao, holding a special event to bid her farewell.

Zookeeper Kang Chul-won, often referred to as Fubao’s “grandpa,” has cared for the baby panda since her birth and noted that through media videos, Fubao helped spread happiness to many people during the COVID-19 pandemic when the zoo was closed.

He also shared sentiments of love and gratitude for the panda, emphasizing her role in promoting the animal species that was downgraded from “endangered” to “vulnerable” in 2016.

The history of panda diplomacy dates back centuries, with the first recorded instance believed to be in the 7th century when China sent pandas to Japan.

However, it gained prominence in the 20th century, particularly when China showcased the growing diplomatic relations with the United States during the Cold War in 1972, by gifting two pandas to the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C.

In return, the United States gifted China with two musk oxen, indicating that panda diplomacy was successful.

Pandas were gifted to other nations until 1975 when CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) came into effect, mandating that pandas be leased due to the ban on international trade of species at risk of extinction.

This agreement altered the direction of panda diplomacy to its current practice.

Today, China sends a pair of male and female pandas in a contract of 10 years, and when the pair has a baby, regardless of the place of birth, China owns the baby panda.

The zoo that leases the panda must contribute to the “Panda Breeding Research Fund,” essentially serving as rental fees to China.

Additionally, each year, the country is required to pay up to an equivalent of 1.3 billion Korean won, with an additional fee of 500 million won if a new baby panda is born.

There is also a condition that baby pandas born locally during the 10-year lease period must be repatriated to China within 4 years.

Yet, panda diplomacy is not without its controversies and complexities.

Critics argue that pandas should not be treated as diplomatic commodities, expressing concerns about animal welfare, political abuse, and high costs.

Some nations have even expressed intentions to return pandas due to the financial burdens associated with their care; for instance, one country sent pandas back to China in 2020, saying that it was difficult to find bamboo for pandas to eat due to COVID-19.

Furthermore, in the United States, the lease period for their pandas was not extended, indicating a presumed reflection of the deteriorating relationship between the US and China; reports suggest that when China retrieves pandas, it is often interpreted as dissatisfaction from the Chinese government.

International animal protection organizations like PETA have raised objections that pandas are not objects that can be easily exchanged, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing animal welfare over diplomatic gestures.

As Fubao leaves behind memories of joy and goodwill in South Korea, her departure highlights the controversy surrounding panda diplomacy.

Kate Kim

Grade 10

Gyeonggi Suwon International School