On June 12, 2024, at the Ya'an base of the China Giant Panda Conservation and Research Center, the giant panda "Xiang Xiang" was eating bamboo shoots. Xinhua News Agency Picture
On the same day, the giant panda "Xiang Xiang" celebrated his seventh birthday, and many tourists went to the Ya'an base of the China Giant Panda Conservation and Research Center to celebrate it.
"Snacky" giant panda "Xiang Xiang". Xinhua News Agency Picture
Giant panda "Xiang Xiang" was born on June 12, 2017 in Ueno Zoo, Tokyo, Japan. She is the daughter of giant pandas "Bili" and "Xiannv" who are living in Japan. In February 2023, "Xiangxiang" returned to China from Japan.
This is the giant panda "Xiangxiang" cultural and creative product taken at the Ya'an base of the China Giant Panda Conservation and Research Center on June 12. Xinhua News Agency Picture
"Xiangxiang" was born in Tokyo, Japan in June 2017. She is the daughter of giant pandas "Bili" and "Xiannv" who are living in Japan. In February last year, "Xiangxiang" returned to her hometown of Sichuan from Ueno Zoo in Tokyo, Japan, but many Japanese "fans" have been thinking about "Xiangxiang".
On June 12, 2024 local time, at the Chinese Cultural Center in Tokyo, Japan, a Japanese giant panda enthusiast took photos of "Xiangxiang" on display at the "Giant Panda 'Xiangxiang' Family Birthday Party". Xinhua News Agency Photo
Early in the morning on the 12th local time, a long queue formed in front of the China Cultural Center in Tokyo. Japanese people wearing various panda elements came specially to celebrate the Chinese giant panda "Xiang Xiang" who once "resided" in Japan7 birthday.
This is a photo of "Xiang Xiang" on display at the "Giant Panda 'Xiang Xiang' Family Birthday Party" held at the Chinese Cultural Center in Tokyo, Japan on June 12. Xinhua News Agency Photo
On the same day, the China Tourism Office in Tokyo, the Sichuan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism and others jointly held the "Giant Panda 'Xiang Xiang' Family Birthday Party" at the China Cultural Center in Tokyo. Nearly 200 giant panda lovers gathered together to celebrate "Xiangxiang Family" sends its most sincere blessings.
On June 9, 2024 local time, the giant panda "Xiang Xiang" cloud connection and fan sharing meeting was co-sponsored by the China Public Diplomacy Association, the Chinese Embassy in Japan and The Paper. Xinhua News Agency Photo
About 200 people including Chinese Ambassador to Japan Wu Jianghao, President of the China Public Diplomacy Association Wu Hailong, Tokyo Vice Governor Nakamura Rinji and giant panda fans from all over Japan attended the event and watched "Xiang Xiang" online in China Panda Conservation and Research Center's real-life life at the Ya'an Bifengxia Base, and online interactions with "Xiang Xiang"'s breeder to learn about "Xiang Xiang"'s current situation at the Ya'an base.
Toshimitsu Doi, president of the Japan Panda Conservation Association, said that he hopes more Japanese people will love giant pandas and visit and travel to China, the hometown of giant pandas, to enhance their understanding of China.
Ouyang An, director of the China Tourism Office in Tokyo, delivered a speech at the birthday party and expressed the hope that this "Xiangxiang" birthday party event can further play the active role of giant pandas as envoys of Sino-Japanese friendship and promote the people-to-people bonds between China and Japan. Make contributions to promoting the development of Sino-Japanese friendship.
Global overview
A Russian naval fleet visited Cuba
On June 12, 2024 local time, the Russian nuclear submarine "Kazan" arrived at the port of Havana, Cuba. Xinhua News Agency Picture
According to reports, a formation of the Russian Northern Fleet arrived at the Port of Havana, Cuba on the morning of the 12th local time, starting a six-day visit.The Russian fleet includes the nuclear submarine "Kazan", the frigate "Marshal Gorshkov" equipped with modern weapons, the fleet tanker "Pashin" and the salvage tug "Nikolai Chikel". When the fleet entered the port, Russian warships and Cuban troops fired salutes and greeted each other. According to Xinhua News Agency citing RIA Novosti’s report on June 11, this visit is an integral part of international cooperation activities between Russia and Cuba.
On June 12, 2024 local time, the Russian frigate "Marshal Gorshkov" arrived at the Port of Havana, Cuba. Xinhua News Agency Picture
The Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced last week that the "Kazan" nuclear submarine, the "Marshal Gorshkov" frigate and two support ships will dock at the Port of Havana from June 12 to 17. Cuba also emphasized that none of these ships carried nuclear weapons and "will not pose a threat to the region."
On June 12, 2024 local time, the nuclear submarine "Kazan" arrived at the Port of Havana, Cuba. Xinhua News Agency Picture
In the fleet of ships heading to Cuba, the nuclear submarine "Kazan" received special attention even though it did not carry nuclear weapons. The nuclear submarine successfully test-fired a "Zircon" hypersonic missile on November 30, 2020. It is currently the world's first nuclear submarine equipped with a hypersonic missile.
On June 12, 2024 local time, the Russian frigate "Marshal Gorshkov" arrived at the Port of Havana, Cuba. Visual China Picture
According to the Associated Press report, the "Marshal Gorshkov" frigate is equipped with a new type of "Zircon" hypersonic missile this time. The missile is specially designed to equip Russian cruisers, frigates and submarines and can be used to attack enemy ships and ground targets. Putin has previously praised the missile as a powerful weapon that flies nine times faster than the speed of sound, has a maximum range of 1,000 kilometers and is capable of penetrating any existing anti-missile defense system.
The Russian Ministry of Defense said on the 11th that the above-mentioned two ships conducted exercises in the Atlantic waters that day. The formation used high-precision guided weapons to attack maritime targets 600 kilometers away in a computer simulation.
On June 12, 2024, local time, in Havana, Cuba, the rescue tugboat "Nikolai Chikel" of the Russian Navy's fleet visiting Cuba arrived at the Port of Havana. Visual China Picture
U.S. officials revealed to the media that according to U.S. predictions, Russia will conduct air and maritime exercises in the Caribbean in the next few weeks. Although the exercise is not considered a threat to the United States, U.S. warships will still track the Russian fleet.
On June 12, 2024, local time, in Havana, Cuba, the oil tanker "Pasin" of the Russian Navy's fleet visiting Cuba arrived at the Port of Havana. Visual China Picture
The arrival of the Russian ship formation in Cuba comes at a time when tensions between Russia and the West are intensifying. Western countries have recently gradually relaxed restrictions on Ukraine's use of foreign-aid weapons, allowing the Ukrainian army to use foreign-aid weapons to attack Russian targets, triggering intensive warnings from Russia. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently stated that he was considering an "asymmetric" response to this behavior and could provide long-range weapons to other parts of the world to attack "sensitive targets" in countries that provide weapons to Ukraine to attack Russian territorial targets.
On June 12, 2024 local time, the Russian frigate "Marshal Gorshkov" arrived at the Port of Havana, Cuba. Visual China Picture
A Russian fleet of ships, including nuclear submarines, arrived in Cuba at a time of tense tensions. It attracted widespread attention from the international community and even triggered associations with the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. However, some analysts believe that although Putin has recently warned that Russia may provide weapons to other countries to attack Western targets, Russia only hopes to issue a warning to the West without escalating tensions.
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