Giant panda on Saturday was named an “Asia Game Changer” in southwest China’s Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding by the Asia Society for its role played in promoting friendly relationships between countries.

As a unique species of China, the giant panda symbolizes peace and friendship, said Tom Nagorski, Executive Vice President of the Asia Society, adding China’s cooperation with other countries in giant panda breeding also helped promote friendships.

Tan Hongming, an official of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, said that the award acknowledged the research base’s efforts in protecting the species and it will further encourage other institutions in giant panda protection.

The Asia Game Changer Awards were launched by the Asia Society in 2014,which recognize those making a transformative and positive difference for the future of Asia and the world.

Giant panda on Saturday was named an “Asia Game Changer” in southwest China’s Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding by the Asia Society for its role played in promoting friendly relationships between countries.

As a unique species of China, the giant panda symbolizes peace and friendship, said Tom Nagorski, Executive Vice President of the Asia Society, adding China’s cooperation with other countries in giant panda breeding also helped promote friendships.

Tan Hongming, an official of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, said that the award acknowledged the research base’s efforts in protecting the species and it will further encourage other institutions in giant panda protection.

The Asia Game Changer Awards were launched by the Asia Society in 2014,which recognize those making a transformative and positive difference for the future of Asia and the world.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Xi Jinping has said that the study and implementation of the “spirit of the 19th CPC National Congress” is the “primary political task” for the Party and country from now on.

Xi made the remarks while presiding over the first group study of the Political Bureau of the 19th CPC Central Committee on Friday, focusing on the study and implementation of the spirit of the congress, according to a press release Saturday.

Xi asked all CPC members to “study CPC congress spirit, and adhere to and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics for a new era.”

“Members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee should regard the study and implementation of CPC congress spirit as their first Party course to improve their political and theoretical level, in order to better take the duties bestowed by the Party and the people,” Xi said.

Fully understanding of the spirit is the premise to implementing it, Xi said, urging members to stick to the Marxist standpoint and method, accord with China’s reality, follow the country’s development logic and improve confidence in the path, theory, system and culture of socialism with Chinese characteristics.

To study and implement the Party congress spirit, Xi stressed “comprehensively carrying out the work of the Party and the country by better understanding the integration, consistency, and coordination of strategic deployment of the Party and national undertaking.”

“Empty talk will lead the country astray, and hard work can rejuvenate the nation,” Xi said, urging solid implementation, saying if one-tenth of effort goes to planning, nine-tenths should go on implementation.

Members of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee should take an exemplary role, work hard and make a difference in the divisions that they administer, Xi said.

Xi said that top officials should have a strong sense of responsibility and the ability to succeed.

World Wide Fund China designated Oct 27 as International Panda Day on Friday in Shanghai, hailing the global integrated conservation efforts of the bamboo-munching, black-and-white bear as an example to be followed in protecting other wild species.

“Hope is the biggest meaning of International Panda Day,” said Lu Siping, the CEO of WWF China, at the launch ceremony. “That hope will promote the society and people to protect other species.”

Lu said that the giant panda, which has been WWF’s logo since its establishment in 1961, is also a symbol of the global conservation movement. The achievements they’ve made in the past decades make people believe that the environment can be improved and rare species can be saved by integrated efforts.

As one of the largest independent nongovernmental environmental protection organizations, WWF started to protect the giant panda in 1980 when the Wolong National Nature Reserve in Sichuan province was established.

At that time, the population of the black-and-white bear had reached an estimated low of fewer than 1,000 due to poaching and deforestation. Ever since, WWF has been working with the government on initiatives to save the rare species and its habitat, including helping to establish an integrated network of giant panda reserves and wildlife corridors to connect isolated panda populations as well as working with local communities to develop sustainable livelihoods and minimize their impact on the forests.

Decades of intensive conservation efforts have seen the number of panda reserves jump to 67 and the area of protected forests reach 2.58 million hectares.

The population of the wild panda gradually rebounded, jumping to 1,864 in 2014 from 1,596 in 2004.

As a result, the International Union for Conservation of Nature downgraded the animal from being “endangered” to “vulnerable” in 2016.

The WWF celebrated the panda’s reclassification, saying it proved that aggressive investment does pay off “when science, political will and engagement of local communities come together”.

Despite the achievement, Lu said threats to the giant panda’s survival and reproduction remain.

“The biggest threat to the giant panda is habitat fragmentation,” Lu said. “We are trying to build corridors to connect natural reserves to reduce the impact of human activities such as infrastructure projects.”

WWF China now has more than 110 employees and eight local offices. While the organization will continue its efforts to preserve the giant panda, it also focuses on projects to preserve other endangered species, such as the Eastern gorilla and the Yangtze finless porpoise, among others.

Lu said the establishment of International Panda Day can serve as a reminder of what can be achieved through integrated efforts from all walks of life, home and abroad.

During the recently concluded 19th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping announced the country’s determination to return 2 percent of the land to nature.

“It is very impressive to hear Xi’s proposal on protecting the environment and we will continue to help the government to achieve ideal harmony in the environment,” Lu said.

A total of 1,140 primary and secondary Hong Kong students played against a Chinese chess artificial intelligence (AI) system at the Chinese Chess Challenge “1K VS AI” Battle Day on Friday, competing for championships and setting a world record.

Witnessed by the World Record Association, the primary and secondary students at the event together set a world record for “The Most People Battling Against the Artificial Intelligence Chinese Chess System on the Spot Simultaneously”.

Xavier Wong of St Joseph’s Primary School and Li Zi-hui of Yan Chai Hospital Lan Chi Pat Memorial Secondary School were awarded the championships of the primary and secondary categories respectively.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government Information Officer Allen Yeung said he hoped the event would arouse students’ interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education, thus inspiring them to pursue education and development in the field.

The Chinese Chess Challenge “1K VS AI” Battle Day was organized by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer, with the Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited as the strategic partner and the Hong Kong Chinese Chess Association as the strategic advisor.

The event was held in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR.