Hundreds of Japanese panda lovers bid an emotional farewell to the country's last two giant pandas, Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, as they left Tokyo's Ueno Zoo for China on Tuesday. Spectators, braving the winter cold and some wearing panda hats and waving flags, held up their smartphones to record the moment as a truck carrying the zoo's star attractions left for Narita Airport. Since its founding in 1949, China has used panda diplomacy to boost its international image and cement ties with other countries by gifting or loaning out pandas.
firstpost.com
