The panda bear, which has become one of the symbols of the Chinese nation, has been an asset in Beijing's international relations over the years. In recent decades, China has "loaned" panda bears to countries around the world, for a million dollars a year. One of them is Ya Ya the Panda who was transferred to the Tennessee Zoo in 2003. Against the backdrop of allegations of neglect and an extensive internet campaign, today (Friday) Ya Ya returned to her homeland, and landed at the airport in Shanghai. The preoccupation with Ya Ya's release began after the death of La La, a panda who came with her in 2003.
La la the panda at the zoo in Tennessee (Photo: Reuters)Despite statements from both the zoo and the Chinese authorities that the pair of pandas did not suffer from neglect, the campaign to return Ya Ya to China has not subsided. Animal rights activists claimed that the bear looks thin, and its fur is shaggy, but the zoo continues to claim that it was well cared for and its sickly appearance is the result of genetic problems.
The decision to return Ya Ya to China came amid growing tensions between Beijing and Washington, and a tabloid affiliated with China's ruling party claimed that "if the decision had been made in more peaceful times, the public would not have found interest in the case, but today everything with a 'tag' on it is made in China perceived by the Americans as a threat."
