Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi visits the exhibition hall at Fuzhou Panda World, asking about the feeding methods of pandas. [Photo by Qiu Yuwen / for chinadaily.com.cn]

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi said Saturday that he hopes to bring giant pandas to Hawaii, calling the potential move a symbol of the bond between the state capital and its Chinese sister city, Fuzhou, capital of East China's Fujian province.

"If we were fortunate enough to get pandas to come to Hawaii, that would be incredible," Blangiardi said during a visit to Fuzhou Panda World on April 25.

Mayor Rick Blangiardi exchanges views with staff members on managing cultural industries in Fuzhou, and looks forward to bringing the city's experience in cultural tourism, education, and trade back to Honolulu. [Photo by Qiu Yuwen / for chinadaily.com.cn]

The mayor expressed amazement at the facility, which currently houses five pandas. Observing the large crowds, Blangiardi noted the animals' "universal appeal" should reach Honolulu someday.

The visit to the sanctuary was a centerpiece of Blangiardi's first official trip to Fuzhou, starting on Thursday. He praised the city's modernity and hospitality, noting that the warm welcome made him feel "very much at home".

Rick Blangiardi and his wife, Karen Chang, enjoy specialty drinks in Fuzhou. [Photo by Qiu Yuwen / for chinadaily.com.cn]

On April 24, the delegation visited the Fujian Cuisine Museum, where they drank Fuzhou's famed jasmine tea.

"It was delicious...I can see why it's considered world-class," Blangiardi said.

He added that Hawaii, with its rich volcanic soil and excellent air quality, also grows jasmine and could potentially contribute to meeting global demand for jasmine tea — a shared agricultural bridge between the two regions.

The mayor, who signed Honolulu's sister-city agreement with Fuzhou over five years ago, highlighted the importance of people-to-people exchange, especially among the young.

Rick Blangiardi and his wife, Karen Chang, take a photo with the staff members in Fuzhou Panda World. [Photo by Qiu Yuwen / for chinadaily.com.cn]

Recounting a moment when a student from Fuzhou No 3 High School — sister school to Honolulu's 'Iolani School — asked for his autograph, Blangiardi said he was deeply impressed by the energy of the students and faculty.

"The whole idea is to create a future," he said, "Young people will grow up with an association with Honolulu, just as Honolulu has an association with Fuzhou."

Following his trip in Fuzhou, Blangiardi is scheduled to visit Chengdu, Sichuan province, the home of world-renowned giant panda conservation and research programs, from April 26 to 28. The delegation will then travel to Beijing and stay until May 2, where the mayor is expected to meet with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.