'Panda' adds light touch to security checks

The long line at the security check before admission to Hangzhou's West Lake has taken on an amusing air, as police officers and volunteers dressed as cartoon pandas provide assistance and pose for photos.

In the run-up to the G20 Leaders Summit, Hangzhou, the host city in Zhejiang province, has stepped up security checks. At the security check station at Qiwang and Xueshi roads, one of 21 such security stations surrounding West Lake, 8-year-old twin brothers Shen Xin and Shen Li and 7-year-old twin sisters Zhu Yuxi and Zhu Yuyan took photos with Huhu, the 1.9-meter-tall panda policeman character.

The twins made the trip to West Lake to mark the end of their summer vacation.

Inside the panda outfit, the temperature was about 45 C. But Shen Yijie, a junior at Zhejiang Police College, said he didn't mind wearing the costume because it helped him bond with the tourists.

More than 1,000 tourists have taken photos with the panda characters each day since three of them began working on August 20, said Xu Jiong, an official with the Hangzhou Public Security Bureau.

The panda policeman character was designed by Zhong Xiaoqing, a city volunteer. Zhong, who runs an art studio, got her inspiration in May when she lost her car key and went to a local police station to seek help.

Touched by the efficiency of the local police, who helped her find the key, Zhong decided to draw a comic about the scene. In June, she also designed a cartoon image for the Hangzhou police.

"I wanted to do something unique to express my thanks. As a designer, I decided to draw," she said.

Zhong said that in the Kung Fu Panda movie series, the giant panda is smart, kindhearted and brave, which she said also captures the spirit of Hangzhou's police officers.

Zhong has designed several different panda Huhu characters, including a traffic officer and firefighter.

"In the future, visitors might be able to see our panda policemen in major scenic spots of West Lake," said Xu Jiong.

wang_ying@chinadaily.com.cn