DC’s adorable panda Tai Shan returns to China today. Because of a current lack of native-born pandas, the U.S. turned to China for pandas to fill our zoos’ panda needs. Tai Shan’s parents, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, have been in the U.S. on a cultural exchange of sorts, entertaining zoo patrons and attempting to procreate since 2000. Tai Shan was born to the couple at the National Zoo in 2005 and grew up before America’s eyes. However, the pandas are more than just a scientific exhibition; they embody the important values of cultural exchange which have always been an important means of deepening understanding and promoting international friendship and goodwill between nations. Tai Shan and his parents have been ambassadors for years. ChannelNewsAsia.com reports:
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