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Letter From Chengdu
Panda-mania: Singapore fans fly to China to see Le Le, others race to catch Hua Hua
There are even Singapore fans who regularly catch up with Singapore-born, ‘slightly overweight’ Le Le in Chengdu.
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- Hua Hua, a popular panda in Chengdu, draws crowds daily, with visitors sprinting to see her. She is known for her unique, adorable features.
- China's "panda economy" thrives due to pandas like Hua Hua, boosting tourism and related industries in Chengdu, with government support.
- Pandas, once endangered, now symbolise China's conservation and diplomacy efforts, fostering international relations. Le Le's Singaporean fans still visit him.
AI generated
CHENGDU - It is a race like no other – a 700m dash to be among the first people of the day to see China’s top celebrity panda Hua Hua every morning.
At the entrance of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, about a dozen people have gathered when I reach there at around 6.30am one Wednesday in October. The facility won’t be open for another hour.
