Mr Justin King,

Dear friends,

It is my great pleasure to join you at this Pandamonium in the Park event.

My special thanks go to Sainsbury, Dreamworks and its partners for hosting this Chinese cultural event. It is a wonderfully imaginative way to mark the release of the film Kung Fu Panda 2.

Giant pandas are China’s national treasure. They live in mountain forests of Western China. But their popularity has gone far beyond the forests. They are not just treasures for China, they belong to the world.

Pandas are usually seen as gentle and shy. But here we have a pleasant surprise in the two Kung Fu Panda films. We find a funny panda named Po, who has a deep sense of justice.

Since the release of the film last month, Kung Fu Panda 2 has been a global hit. The film has been loved by audience in the United States, the UK and China. Perhaps the success of the film is not just a result of the panda’s global popularity; I believe it points to the universal appeal of goodness and justice.

Po would be a hero by any standard, no matter it is in the United States, the UK or China. But Po is, after all, only a beloved character from a film. Pandas in real life fascinate all people and are adored worldwide. So it’s great news for Britain that two giant pandas are coming to settle soon in Edinburgh Zoo. We expect them to arrive by the end of this year.

This news about the Pandas coming to the UK was announced by the Premier of China, Mr Wen Jiabao, during his recent visit to the UK.

This will be the first pair of pandas coming to the UK from China in two decades. They represent an excellent symbol of the friendship between the people of China and the UK. I really hope that everybody who loves pandas, especially our children, will enjoy the company of these black and white loveable bears!

The arrival of the pandas all the way from China provides another symbol. China and Britain are thousands of miles apart. It is just over 5000 miles from Beijing to Edinburgh. Yet this distance should not, and will not, stand in the way of greater mutual understanding between our countries.

Soon we will have the arrival of these VIPs or, “Very Important Pandas”. It will surely be another highlight of China-UK cultural exchanges. In turn this is sure to contribute to closer friendship between our peoples.

Let me finally say, I wish the Pandamonium in the Park event a complete success!

Thank you.