
Hosts: Zongnan & Jialin
Producer: Liu Chang
As Japan bids farewell to a beloved panda family returning to China, we unpack the global obsession with pandas β and the story behind their soft fur and soft power. From economic impact and zoo booms to conservation science and cultural symbolism, pandas are more than cute: theyβre international players.
πTimestamps:
00:00 β News story
Japan says goodbye to Liang Bang and her cubs. Why do people cry over pandas?
00:44 β Panda Fever
Pandas drive massive crowds β in Tokyo, Qatar, Finland, and beyond.
02:38 β Pop Culture Pandas
From Olympic mascots to Kung Fu Panda, how pandas became icons.
03:02 β How did these all start
Gifts and then cooperation
03:48 β When the Pandas Go Home
What happens to zoos (and the bears) after pandas leave?
04:26 β Why Pandas
Their appeal, fragility, and emotional pull β why no other animal compares.
05:46 β Soft Power & Symbolism
Pandas as peace icons, yin-yang symbols, and βfriendship ambassadors.β
06:40 β Bigger Than Bamboo
The money, the criticism, and the future of panda conservation.
π Mentioned in this episode:
π World Beat is your quick, sharp, global news fix β with heart.