About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

1 1 (May 25, 2022)

handle is hein.crs/govefvh0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional Research Service ~ Informning the legislive debate since 1914 May 25, 2022 The People's Republic of China's Panda Diplomacy The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca or panda) is a rare and charismatic species that is native to China, which holds a natural monopoly over the species. Pandas generally are popular zoo exhibits, and highly sought after for display by zoos around the world. The People's Republic of China (PRC or China) has used pandas to pursue diplomatic objectives, a practice termed panda diplomacy. That practice has evolved to reflect shifting domestic and international circumstances. In the process, the panda has become a diplomatic symbol for China, and serves to soften its authoritarian image, according to some analysts. Some in Congress are interested in how the practice contributes to conserving the pandas as well as its role in diplomatic relations with the PRC. Status of the Giant Panda Pandas are found in the wild in bamboo forests in central China. They live 14-20 years in the wild and up to 30 years in captivity. Their breeding age is 4-20 years old and they can give birth to one cub every two years. In 1984, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) listed pandas as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act (ESA; 16 U.S.C. §§1531-1544), and pandas were included under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) as a species endangered due to trade. In contrast to these listing statuses, China declared in 2021 that pandas are no longer endangered and reported around 1,800 breeding pairs living in the wild in China (approximately 600 live in zoos around the world). Figure 1. Giant Panda Programs Around the World The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) changed the status of giant pandas from endangered to vulnerable in 2016, citing an increase in the population. However, IUCN noted that climate change could adversely affect pandas' habitat and cause the species to decline. The PRC's Panda Diplomacy China has a long tradition of offering pandas as gifts to foreign countries. Scholars assert that panda gift-giving may have started in the seventh century, when Empress Wu Zetian sent two bears, believed to be pandas, to Japan. Starting in 1957, the PRC gifted pandas to certain countries as a symbol of diplomatic friendship and to signal a closeness in political ties, according to some scholars. The PRC gradually replaced this approach with a commercial lease model in the 1980s, as it adopted economic reforms and China became less isolated internationally. Scholars note that some panda loans to foreign countries coincided with trade deals, positing that the PRC intended the practice to support the process. Beginning in the late 1990s, China transitioned to a conservation-oriented lease model. This shift was in part driven by China's accession to CITES in 1981. The multilateral treaty restricts trade in wild animals and plants to ensure that such trade does not threaten a species' survival. CITES forbids the trade of certain species for mainly commercial purposes, but permits non- commercial loans between registered scientists or scientific institutions. Joint Panda Programs with PRC Entities Other Panda Programs F Sources: Graphic by CRS with information from the People's Republic of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Government of Mexico City, and the Taipei Zoo. Note: PRC entities maintain panda cooperation programs with institutions in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. https://crsreports.congress.gov S

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most