Mohammed Chafik Kellala, secretary of the General Department of Algeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, snaps a selfie with a panda at the Dujiangyan Base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda on June 25, 2018. [Photo by Li Huiru / China.org.cn]

Recognized as a national treasure of China, the giant panda, viewed as a symbol of auspiciousness and friendship, captured the hearts of 105 African youth delegates currently visiting China.

On their second day in Sichuan province, the African youth delegates, who are in China attending the Third China-Africa Youth Festival, visited the Dujiangyan Base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda.

"I want to take one home," said Somkaant Choytoo, an art educator and photographer from Reet's High School in Mauritius. "It is my first time to see giant pandas in real life. There is also a lot of bamboo in my country."

About a 90-minute drive from downtown Chengdu, the Dujiangyan center is not far from the bustling Taoist holy site Mount Qingcheng. The panda base was built in 2011 with financial support from the Hong Kong SAR government following the May 12, 2008 Sichuan earthquake, and officially opened in March 2013.

Mohammed Chafik Kellala, secretary of the General Department of Algeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that China and Algeria should carry out cooperation in environmental protection in the future.

"The giant panda is very important for the environment protection and its preservation is also of great importance for the future generations. It is very important to exchange experience between countries," said Kellala. "Take my country, Algeria, for example, we also have many animals we have to protect. It is an international convention to protect these kind of animals," he added.

Known as the "Home of the Giant Panda," Sichuan is home to more than 80 percent of the world's existing pandas.

Elhouni Abdalla Saleh A, director of the General Office of Libya's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told China.org.cn he was very impressed not only with the pandas but with the city of Chengdu.

"It was my first time to be in China and to see real pandas. The most surprising thing to me is Chengdu because it's my first time I heard about the city. Previously I know only Beijing and Shanghai," he said. He also said he believes the city has huge potential for development and will enjoy rapid development, judging from what he has learned during this trip.

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