Cambridge Pandering to Chinese

Cambridge University Press has adopted a baby giant panda in China.

The move is the second time the publishers have hit the headlines this term, following their donation of 100,000 books to African schoolchildren last month.

The female baby panda is named Jin Qiao, which roughly translates as ‘Cambridge’. She lives in the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Foundation in Sichuan province.

CUP is hoping that their newest recruit will aid sales of their Young Learners’ range in China. Not only will the move help support the Foundation, but youngsters will also be able follow Jin’s progress on the web.

The English language site charting Jin’s antics is expected to boost CUP’s English language learning and teaching materials.

A spokesperson from CUP said the move was “part of a wider conservation and climate change programme”, which has included the African donation.

She added, “This is a lifetime adoption, so over the expected lifetime of Jian Qiao (giant pandas can live up to 20 years), our costs will be in the region of £2,500 per year.”

Despite the anticipated cuts to higher education, CUP Chief executive Stephen Bourne said the adoption was worthwhile because “It shows the importance that we place on being a responsible member of the communities in which we operate”.

The issue is clearly not all black and white…