Giant pandas are called 国宝 (guóbǎo, national treasure) and are central to China's 'panda diplomacy' — loaning pandas to foreign zoos as diplomatic gestures since the 1950s.
history
Despite having 猫 (cat) in the name, pandas are bears! The name arose from a historical mix-up between the giant panda and the red panda (小熊猫).
