Selfie-taking panda statue enthrals public in southwest China

CHENGDU, April 9 (Xinhua) -- A statue featuring a giant panda clicking selfie has become the latest center of attraction among the public in southwest China's Sichuan, a province renowned for the iconic giant pandas.

The sculpture measures 26.5 meters in length, 11 meters in width and 12 meters in height. It can be seen lying on its back in the Yangtianwo Square, Dujiangyan City, taking a selfie with a camera up against the sky.

The statue has been designed by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman, who is best known for his Rubber Duck creation.

The panda statue weighs 130 tonnes and 3 million stainless steel wires have been used to create its black and white fur. According to Hofman, the panda statue is inspired by a story of a real giant panda wandering into the city's downtown area in 2005.

Meanwhile, local authorities plan to launch more activities for visitors to interact with the statue.

About 70 giant pandas inhabit the city of Dujiangyan, attracting more than 20 million tourists every year.