Public takes the first glimpse at giant panda cub, Bei Bei

Updated: 2016-01-17 03:20

By HUA SHENGDUN in Washington(China Daily USA)

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Public takes the first glimpse at giant panda cub, Bei Bei

A visitor takes photos of giant panda cub Bei Bei at National Zoological Park in Washington DC, Jan 16, 2016.[Photo/Xinhua]

Unlike his sister Bao Bao, Bei Bei only has a bigger body but a much more outgoing personality. He likes to get closer and calmer to people and pretty chill in front of camera while his sister is more like an independent bear quietly eating bamboo at a corner, according to Earie.

Laurie Thompson, a biologist at the National Park, said people could see more of the panda because his mother is less possessive than she used to be when she had her first two children.

Bei Bei has already been a household name the US since he was a five-ounce pink little meat. During President Xi Jinping's first visit to the US last September, Peng Liyuan and Michelle Obama, the first ladies of China and the US, jointly named the cub Bei Bei, meaning precious treasure.

"I think this is panda diplomacy. It is so amazing that both of the governments can keep the pandas alive and show them to the public. While there some other things that our governments cannot agree on but we can come together for this, Earie said.

Pandas have such a large fan base that the panda house is always the very first draw for people coming the zoo, according to Thomson, who has been taking care of pandas for more than 20 years.

Justin Kotze, who is working in a US consulting company, is a diehard fan of panda."I have been to Wolong in Sichuan Province, just to see the panda. And my heart was beating so fast when I held up a panda cub in my arms," he said.

Pan Jialiang contributed to this story