Latest news with #pandas
ABC News
17-07-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese concludes trip in China's good books
Welcome back to your weekly federal politics update, where Brett Worthington gets you up to speed on the happenings from Parliament House. Going to an aged care home can be a fraught outing for a prime minster. That is of course unless you are visiting a retirement village for pandas, which is where Anthony Albanese found himself at the end of his six-day trip to China. Having dispensed with the Rabbitohs hat he'd worn to the Great Wall of China a day earlier, the PM donned a Hawthorn Football Club shirt as he paid a visit to former Adelaide VIP Fu Ni. The giant panda, one of two Australia rented for more than a decade, chomped on bamboo as the prime minister called her "a great ambassador for China and a great friend of Australia". For a while there, Fu Ni and Wang Wang were some of the only Australian residents that could have got China's top-tier officials on the blower, such was the diplomatic chill that was being cast Down Under. If you needed a reminder of just how much a distant memory those days were for the Chinese government, consider what Albanese again found himself having to sit through this week. Suddenly a bastion of international trade, China's second-most-senior leader, without a drop of irony, told Albanese about the importance of open markets and predictability. He said it was crucial for the two nations to respond together in the face of "growing instability and uncertainty in the global economy." (He was all but screaming: "Looking at you, Donald Trump!") The subtle art of shady diplomacy also saw Albanese find the opportunity to remind China's leaders that their citizens could enjoy the Year of the Snake with some of the world's (he said world's but let's be clear he meant Australia's) finest red meat and wine. Theatrics and symbolism aside, the trip served as a reminder of the extent to which Australia has returned to China's good books, something that has only been reinforced since Trump's return to the presidency. The trip was always going to be closely watched by the United States but what was more surprising was the extent to which it appears American officials sought to influence Albanese's meetings. High-ranking Americans were falling over themselves to comment on reports the US was pressuring Australia and Japan to say what it would do in the event of China invading Taiwan. Almost as soon as Albanese touched down in Shanghai he was being pressed about the reports, forcing him to wade into one of the most sensitive issues a leader could contend with while in China. Albanese's insistence that Australia supported the status quo and that he wouldn't be drawn into hypotheticals was quickly backed by senior Coalition figures Andrew Hastie and James Paterson. Yet new defence spokesman Angus Taylor found himself venturing into terrain no former Liberal leader had previously advanced, in saying Australia should be willing to make a principled stance on Taiwan. It remains unclear if this is new policy or a new case of "well done, Angus". In case you didn't catch it the first time, Treasurer Jim Chalmers was so keen to reinforce it, he made sure to make multiple references to just how "relaxed" he was about the release of a government briefing that cast doubt over Labor's ability to deliver its signature housing pledge. Nothing quite says relaxed like repeatedly saying just how relaxed you are. His department, meanwhile, seemed anything but, desperately seeking to claw back a document released under Freedom of Information (FOI), which broke with long-held traditions in that it actually contained news, just not intentionally. Like most FOIs, the document was redacted up the wazoo (further reinforcing why in the world of FOIs, the expression "free from information" is more apt), except for a series of subheadings in a table of contents that the department forgot to redact. Whoops. The briefing document warned Labor's pledge to build 1.2 million homes over five years to address the housing crisis "will not be met" and that the treasurer would need to find "additional revenue and spending reductions" to meet his objective of a "sustainable" budget. The ABC also revealed that the Housing Minister Clare O'Neil received a series of departmental ideas after the election to reset Labor's housing agenda, including rental assistance for low-income earners, ways to address concerns with the Housing Australia Future Fund and the possibility of scaling back the 1.2 million new homes pledge. Chalmers conceded Labor's plan was "ambitious" but insisted it could be achieved. Few other parties in the parliament see it as a credible proposal, with the Coalition dubbing Labor "delusional" and the Greens calling the plans pie in the sky. To achieve the 1.2 million new homes over five years, Labor will need to average 240,000 new homes a year, something that's only been done twice before. It's led to forecasts that suggest Labor would need a 50 per cent increase on 2024 construction levels, which in part relies on overcoming labour shortages and planning delays, if it's to get close to meeting the mark. Sometimes you get stark reminders of just how low the bar is for blokes in federal politics. Having fronted up for an interview about how the government was responding to the horrific reports emerging from the Victorian child care sector, federal education minister Jason Clare received quite the praise from Sunrise presenter Matt Shirvington. "Keep fighting. I'm not going to, with respect, call you minister today," Shirvington said at the end of the interview. "I'm going to call you Jason. You're a dad. Appreciate you coming on." In fairness, Clare has been working with his Coalition counterpart Jonno Duniam to ensure new laws can be rushed through the parliament to allow the government (the keeper of the purse strings) to cut off funding to centres that fail to keep children safe. Both men have been candid in recent days on how both sides of politics have to carry the can for why there are inconsistencies in reporting of incidents, the lack of a national database to track employees in the sector and why there still isn't nationally consistent working with children checks despite a royal commission calling for it more than a decade ago. None of these are issues Jason Clare, the father, can tackle. But not only are they issues Jason Clare, federal minister, can address, but they're issues that, as a minister of the crown, he bares a responsibility to tackle. Next's week first meeting of the 48th parliament will bring with it the first day of school energy for the new MPs and senators elected in May. First speeches are being written, shirts are being pressed and politicians are likely looking in the mirror to practice not looking like dears in the headlights. The new MPs and senators have spent recent weeks attending new MP school, which one candidly said felt like trying to drink water from a fire hydrant. One MP who will be among those being sworn in will be independent Nicolette Boele from the once safe Liberal seat of Bradfield. Having already been allocated an office, she will take her seat alongside 149 other MPs. But unlike her colleagues, she will face months of lingering doubts about how long she'll get to keep the seat, with her Liberal opponent Gisele Kapterian taking the matter to court. The last time the Court of Disputed Returns considered a House of Representatives challenge, the case was much like this one. The initial victor (in this case Kapterian) went on to lose the seat in the full recount. The 2007 matter not only upheld the recount result, it saw a slight increase in the victor's margin. Should the court hear the matter, it will rest on around 800 so-called "line-ball ballots" which a judge will likely reassess to ensure they were correctly adjudicated during the recount but it could be months before there is an outcome (in 2007 it took eight months). Kapterian's electoral plight sums up the state the party finds itself in, something that will be stark when the opposition takes its seats next week. If Labor's 50 female MPs opted to sit in their own party in the House of Representatives, they'd have seven more MPs than the entirely of the 43-member Coalition opposition, of which just nine are women.
The Guardian
16-07-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Australia news live: Albanese in Chengdu for last leg of China visit; German backpacker leaves hospital after outback ordeal
Update: Date: 2025-07-16T20:55:22.000Z Title: Albanese to wrap up China visit in Chengdu Content: Pandas and bionic ears are on Anthony Albanese's agenda as his six-day tour of China reaches its final leg, Australian Associated Press reports. The prime minister touched down in Chengdu in China's south-west yesterday afternoon, where he announced the Sichuan capital would be given hosting rights to an Australian Open wildcard playoff tournament for a second year running. In the sweltering 37C heat, the prime minister turned down the offer of a hit on centre court, instead hailing the role of sport in boosting people-to-people and cultural links between Australia and China. 'I know that my dear friend [former professional tennis player] Glenn Busby comes here and coaches and spends a lot of time here each year, and he tells me that China will dominate the sport in the years to come,' he said. Chengdu, home to 21 million residents, is best known outside China as the home of giant pandas. Albanese will visit a breeding research centre at the forefront of efforts to save the species from extinction. As well as a beloved cultural icon, pandas are a central part of China's efforts to exert soft power in the world. In a meeting with local party secretary Wang Xiaohui, Mr Albanese said pandas 'have been such an important feature' of building positive relations between Australia and China. He noted the two new pandas who were loaned to Adelaide zoo in 2024, in the most recent example of 'panda diplomacy'. 'I thank this province for our two newest guests who have been so well received,' he said. But Chengdu has another, arguably more impactful, connection to Australia. Cochlear, the Australian hearing device company, bases a manufacturing and research plant in the city, which the prime minister will visit today. More than 50,000 Chinese patients have had hearing loss restored by a Cochlear device, making it one of the company's largest markets. Update: Date: 2025-07-16T20:47:29.000Z Title: German backpacker Carolina Wilga leaves hospital after outback ordeal Content: A German backpacker who was lost in the Australian outback for 11 nights has been discharged from hospital. Carolina Wilga hit her head in a car crash and left her car in a 'state of confusion' before going missing in the Western Australian outback. A desperate search for the 26-year-old began when her family and friends raised the alarm after not hearing from her. She was discharged from Perth's Fiona Stanley hospital on Wednesday. More on Wilga's ordeal in the outback here: Update: Date: 2025-07-16T20:47:29.000Z Title: Welcome Content: Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I'm Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it'll be Nick Visser to be your news guide. Anthony Albanese will wrap up his visit to China in Chengdu today. The south-west city of 21 million people is best known for its pandas and spicy Sichuan food, but it is also where Cochlear, the Australian hearing device company, has a manufacturing and research facility, which the prime minister will visit today. More coming up. The Reserve Bank and economists will be watching today's jobs figures for another clue as to where the economy is headed. It comes after the shock decision by the bank to keep rates steady this month. More on that shortly.
CTV News
10-07-2025
- CTV News
Japan's panda capital is losing its pandas. What comes next?
Adventure World has been home to pandas for nearly 31 years. (Yumi Asada/CNN via CNN Newsource) They came, dressed in black and white, wearing furry hats, and clutching banners and soft toys. With tears in their eyes and sobs in their throats, they waited patiently in line under the scorching sun for one last glimpse before it was all over. Pandas have become huge celebrities in the Japanese town of Shirahama. Over three decades, their presence at the local Adventure World zoo has drawn hundreds of thousands of visitors whose love for the cute creatures has elevated them to cult status and put the town on the map. But now, the four pandas of Shirahama — Rauhin, age 24, and her daughters Yuihin, 8, Saihin, 6, and Fuhin, 4 — are leaving. Though they were all born in this town, the pandas ultimately belong to China, which began lending pandas to Shirahama in 1994. This year, China declined to extend the agreement and summoned them back to their ancestral home. No more are due to take their place. In Japan's panda capital, facing a future without its bears, the public was bereft. 'Being here brought back so many memories,' wept Shiori Sakurai, one of many panda fans turning out to bid farewell at a ceremony on June 27. 'And I realized, I really don't want them to go. Let's meet again, OK? I'll keep loving you every single day.' 'It's simply sad,' said Mihoko Ninomiya, joining the crowds at the Adventure World for the last time with her daughter and granddaughter — 'three generations of panda fans' who have made monthly pilgrimages to see the bears. 'We've been coming here since my daughter was a little girl,' she said. 'We will miss them terribly.' Japan panda tourism Panda fan Tomomi Miyaji says the bears inspired her to become a mother. (Yumi Asada/CNN via CNN Newsource) Separation from the bears will be tough for Shirahama, a resort destination tucked away on the southern coast of Japan just 90 miles south of Osaka. Reminders of their fluffy, black-and-white faces are everywhere, from trains and buses to restaurants and souvenir shops. Known as Panda Town, it has long hosted crowds of visitors seeking panda-themed vacations, the highlights of which are watching their favorite bears hugging trees, munching on bamboo and somersaulting in their enclosures. The bears — also called 'panda' in Japanese — have for decades been an economic lifeline for the town's 20,000 people. With the departure of the final four pandas, the town is in limbo. Katsuhiro Miyamoto, a professor emeritus of economics at Kansai University, estimates that the town has generated 125.6 billion yen (US$870 million) in revenue from the panda economy over the past three decades. 'The pandas are the biggest draw for tourism, and without them, the number of tourists will drop,' he tells CNN. Without the animals, the town could lose up to 6 billion yen (US$41 million) per year, equivalent to 40% of Shirahama's annual budget, he says. It will lose 200,000 tourism visitors per year, he estimates, and that decline will cause job losses and accelerate depopulation, forcing younger generations to move to other cities for better work opportunities. A walk around the town lays bare how heavily Shirahama's tourism industry relies on these bears loaned from China. Hotels offer panda-themed rooms. Vending machines are covered in manga versions of the bears. Restaurants serve bowls of ramen and desserts with panda-tastic twists. Satsuki Kitai runs a souvenir shop near the Shirahama train station, selling panda plushies and panda-themed snacks. She says the family business, which has been around for nearly 80 years, derives 40% of its revenue from the sales of panda souvenirs. 'When something had a panda on it, it was easy for customers to pick it up,' she tells CNN. 'We haven't really decided whether we'll gradually phase them out or keep them as 'panda memory,'' she adds. Other business owners in the town are pondering the same choice. Scenic Shirahama was once famous for its onsens, or hot springs, said to be among the oldest in Japan. But after their lure began to fade in the late 20th century, the town reinvented itself by centering its appeal around Youhin and Eimei, the first two pandas it received from China in 1994. For 31 years, that bet has paid off, thanks to Japanese people's love for the cuddly animals. It was apparently good for the pandas, too: Rauhin's partner, Eimei, fathered a total of 16 cubs with her and a previous female panda, Meimei, seen as the most successful panda breeding program outside of China. But now what? Panda diplomacy It's not just a matter of finding another source to replace the bears. China lends pandas to countries, including the US, as goodwill ambassadors and to strengthen trade ties. In Shirahama, unfortunately, this 'panda diplomacy' seems to have run its course. Typically, pandas are loaned for 10 years, while cubs born in zoos overseas are returned to China by age four. Beijing's decision to offer or extend existing panda agreements is based on various factors — a move experts say can be linked to deteriorating diplomatic ties. While it's unclear why China declined to extend the contract with Shirahama, Masaki Ienaga, an associate professor of international relations at the Tokyo Woman's Christian University, believes politics may be at play. Last year, Shirahama elected Yasuhiro Oe, a politician who takes a pro-Taiwan stance. That may have upset China, Ienaga says. Cross-strait relations have long been a sensitive issue, with China's ruling Communist Party claiming the self-ruling democracy of Taiwan as its own. 'China thinks the Taiwan issue is something it cannot ignore,' says Ienaga. Oe told CNN that he was aware of the suggestion but rejected the possibility. 'I'm the head of a small town of 20,000 people,' he says, 'and just because I have relations with Taiwan, will China say 'return the pandas' and demand all four back?' In response to CNN's enquiries, China's Foreign Ministry reiterated that Taiwan is 'purely China's internal affairs.' 'Some Japanese politicians should be mindful of the lessons of history…and be cautious in their words and deeds on the Taiwan issue,' it said. The spokesperson's office added that China and Japan have maintained exchanges on panda protection. But Ienaga notes that even if Beijing decides to send more pandas to Japan, it'd be unlikely that they would return to Shirahama if politics were behind the current decision to end the panda lease. Oe says he has a few solutions to the impending tourism crisis up his sleeve, one of which involves playing to his strength — getting more travelers to come from Taiwan. 'What's easy to understand is that I'm asking for help from the people in Taiwan with whom I have a relationship,' he says. Despite the bears' departure, the Japanese train operator JR West has said it will continue to operate a panda-themed service connecting the town with Kyoto and Osaka. But like souvenir shop owner Kitai, who is struggling to deal with the traces of the pandas left behind, Oe is less certain about the future. At the entrance of the government building, a sign reads: 'Shirahama, the town of pandas.' 'We're wondering what I should do with that sign, too,' he says. Japan still has two pandas at the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo. But their lease is due to expire next year. And many attending the farewell ceremony at the Adventure World zoo felt a personal relationship with the pandas in Shirahama. The zoo's director, Tatsuko Nakao, who has looked after the pandas since day one, reminisced over her first encounters with the bears as she flicked through an album of old photographs. 'I never imagined she would become such a wonderful mother,' she said, looking at a picture of Rauhin. She said she believes it's for the best that Rauhin gets to retire with her daughters in China, where she gets better bamboo. Eimei, the father panda, was 'my teacher,' she said. Before the age of the internet, when information about the species was scant, Nakao spent a lot of time observing him. He was sent back to China in 2023 and died there earlier this year at the age of 32. Also among those saying farewell was Tomomi Miyaji, who recalled how she struggled with the prospect of motherhood until watching a documentary about Adventure World's panda mother, Rauhin, giving birth. 'I felt encouraged that I could do it too,' she told CNN. To honor Rauhin, Miyaji even took inspiration from Yuihin, one of Rauhin's cubs, when naming her own daughter. 'I feel like crying. Just thinking about the fact that this place will be empty from tomorrow brings tears to my eyes.' Article written by Yumi Asada, Hanako Montgomery and Chris Lau, CNN
CNN
10-07-2025
- General
- CNN
Japan's panda town was booming. Now China wants its pandas back
Pandas, and those who adore them, have been central to the culture and economy in Shirahama, Japan for years. But the four pandas at the town's local zoo really belong to China, and China wants them back, leaving town residents in emotional turmoil.
CNN
10-07-2025
- General
- CNN
Japan's panda town was booming. Now China wants its pandas back
Pandas, and those who adore them, have been central to the culture and economy in Shirahama, Japan for years. But the four pandas at the town's local zoo really belong to China, and China wants them back, leaving town residents in emotional turmoil.
