Death of giant panda loaned by China to Japanese zoo sparks new diplomatic row
- Beijing sends in forensic team to examine body
The death of a panda is at the centre of a new diplomatic row between Japan and China after it was claimed the animal died as a result of foul play.
Xing Xing, also known as Kou Kou, was on loan from China to Oji Zoo in Kobe, western Japan, when he died on the operating table during a procedure to extract semen for an attempt at artificial insemination.
Chinese government officials, already embroiled in a tense disagreement with the Japanese after a fishing boat and crew were held in disputed waters, have now sent a forensic team to examine the 14-year-old's body.
They demanded his body be put under lock and key until the experts arrive.
$this->handle_bbcode_img_match('http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/09/16/article-1312489-0B1E1800000005DC-383_468x458.jpg') Xing Xing, also known as Kou Kou, was on loan from China to Oji Zoo in Kobe, western Japan, when he died on the operating table during a procedure to extract semenfor an attempt at artificial insemination
China's State Forestry Administration leases the animals to zoos around the world for £650,000 a year and is now demanding £320,000 in compensation.
It is believed the panda, which had been at the zoo since 2002, was given too much anaesthetic during the routine procedure.
Xing Xing suffered a heart attack and died to the dismay of keepers, who had recently negotiated a five-year extension to the ten year loan deal.
Previous attempts to mate the adult male with partner Tan Tan ended in failure, after she gave birth to one still-born cub in 2007 and a live one which died days later the following year.
The death has sparked conspiracy theories in China with internet users linking it with Japan's detention of a Chinese fishing crew.
Their arrests centred over Japan's disputed possession of the Senkaku islands 120 miles east of Taiwan.
The crew were held for a number of days while their captain remains in Japanese hands. It was claimed they were fishing illegally.
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