Cambridge University Press (CUP) has adopted a giant panda cub in an attempt to improve relations with potential Chinese clients.

The panda cub, named Jian Qiao, has been adopted for life, a commitment of roughly £2,500 a year for the extent of its life, usually around 20 years.

Cambridge University Press are positive about the investment. Chief Executive Stephen Bourne said "given the importance of giant pandas to China, this adoption is a symbol of our strategy to work with the Chinese Government to build bridges between China and the West."

The adoption is also "part of the wider commitment to do all we can to protect the environment".

Giant pandas are amongst the world’s most severely endangered species, with fewer than 2,000 in the wild today.

CUP are keen to link this environmental commitment to their extensive collection of published works on climate change.

China is an important market for CUP, who have produced 30 titles in their ‘Cultural China’ series and English language teaching materials that are used throughout the country.

A spokeswoman said they are planning on utilising the interest in pandas they expect on the part of their Chinese students to make lessons more "fun and engaging". They plan to develop an English-language site where students can follow the growth and progress of Jian Qiao which will complement their published teaching materials.

But opinion amongst university students is mixed. Adam Sullivan, a second-year Bio Natsci, said "Chinese students will care more about the quality of the teaching materials than about the company adopting animals".

Meanwhile Queens’ student Edward Davenport said, "I don’t think it’s a particularly good investment, but £2,500 is a drop in the ocean for CUP and, as far as publicity stunts go, it has good environmental consequences".

Whilst some are still sceptical about CUP’s stated aim to pander to an uncertain interest in Jian Qiao amongst Chinese students, few question that the money this will provide for Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Foundation is a good thing.

Whatever the motives behind the adoption, Chief Executive Stephen Bourne hopes that it will demonstrate interest amongst prospective English-language students as well as demonstrating good will to prospective Chinese buyers since "it shows the importance that we place on being a responsible member of the communities in which we operate."