Giant Panda Mei Xiang gave birth to a cub at the National Zoo in Washington on July 9, 2005, which became top news in the United States. Washington Post' splashed the news of the activities of the mother and cub for several consecutive days and carried an editorial entitled "Happy birthday, Panda".

The Mei Xiang's birth-giving is truly a happy event. It is the first giant panda cub born at the Washington National Zoo in 16 years. Mei Xiang was artificially inseminated twice in the past two years, but in vain. In March this year, Mei Xiang entered the oestrum, however, she failed to mate with giant panda Tian Tian naturally. So, scientists had to have Mei Xiang artificially inseminated again, and finally she turned pregnant. The birth is the result of the joint efforts by Chinese and American scientists. China not only sent experts there to take care of the pregnant Mei Xiang, but also will help the mother and cub pass the post-delivery period in safety.

The history of giants panda "peace envoys" between China and Japan dates back to 1972. The Chinese government sent the first pair of pandas Xing Xing and Ling Ling after then US President Richard Nixon's "ice-breaking" visit to China. Mei Xiang and Tian Tian arrived in the United States in 2000, starting their 10 years' lives there.

Giant pandas are regarded in the United States as the most famous "diplomatic animals" in the world, and some people even take their fates as a barometer of the relations between the United States and China. When Xing Xing died in 1999, "China threat" theory and Wen Ho Lee's "espionage case'' were rampant in the United States. Media there linked the two matters, expressing worries about the US-China relations. This time, Washington Post also connects the good news of Mei Xiang with the improvement of the bilateral relations.

However intelligent, Mei Xiang as a panda can by not means have the "diplomatic awareness" to improve the friendship between the peoples of the two countries. But it certainly tugs at the heartstrings of the two peoples and represents their shared desire to develop the friendly relations between the two peoples.

By People's Daily Online