Giant panda cubs freshly born in 2024 were delightfully caught navigating and teetering as they practiced climbing, all under the watchful eyes of their caretakers at a breeding base in southwest China's Sichuan Province.
In footage captured at the Moonlight Delivery House and Star Giant Panda Nursery House on Oct 15 and 16, a panda cub was seen charmingly wobbling as it climbed a wooden ladder under the gentle guidance of its caretaker.
Another cub, placed on a rocking toy by its caretaker, promptly slid down before slowly crawling toward a tree, where it cutely hugged the trunk and made a determined effort to climb higher.
A different panda, supervised by its caretaker, climbed onto a thick, slanted tree trunk and settled adorably on it. Before long, it slid down and wandered off to play elsewhere.
As most of these cubs were born from July to September this year, the majority of the newborns are still under six months old.
The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is a world-renowned institution for the conservation of giant pandas. The base is famous for its work in protecting and breeding giant pandas, red pandas and other endangered wild animal species exclusive to China as well as its educational outreach programs and its role as a major tourist attraction.
Newborn panda cubs wobble cutely as they practice climbing at Sichuan base
Newborn panda cubs wobble cutely as they practice climbing at Sichuan base
The construction and development of rural roads and the rural transport system, which emphasizes inclusiveness and equity, provide strong support for the comprehensive development of China's rural economy and society, according to a white paper issued Friday by China's State Council Information Office.
In creating a path to prosperity for rural people, China has taken extraordinary steps and made an enormous effort to expedite the development of rural transport in poor areas, said the white paper titled "China's Rural Roads in the New Era."
Since 2014, more than 1.4 million kilometers of rural roads have been built or upgraded in previously poor areas, all towns, townships and administrative villages where conditions allow had been connected to paved roads by 2019, and all such villages had been connected to bus services by 2020, the white paper noted.
"The roads are better. After years of effort, we have established a rural transportation infrastructure network that connects villages and towns, as well as a rural transportation service system focused on inclusiveness and equity. Through this, rural residents can enjoy better transportation, and rural logistics can be more efficient," said Hou Zhenxing, deputy director of the general planning department of the Ministry of Transport.
According to the white paper, the steady development of transport facilities in rural areas has attracted more capital, projects and talents to the countryside, creating more job opportunities and broadening the avenues for income growth.
At present, rural road construction projects provide work for about 80,000 people in need as a form of relief, enabling an annual average per capita income increase of around 8,500 yuan (about 1,182.57 U.S. dollars), the white paper noted.
About 850,000 jobs are provided in rural road management and maintenance, offering an annual average per capita income of approximately 13,000 yuan, it said.
China builds inclusive rural transport service system: white paper
