The reason for Boris Johnson's popularity in China has been revealed: the locals have mistaken him for a rare breed of giant panda.
"We are stunned," one told HuffPost UK Comedy. "We have never seen a blonde panda in captivity, let alone wandering around in the wild, on a bike."
On your bike: The cuddly but dangerous Boris Johnson
Sightings of giant blonde pandas are rare in China
Chinese authorities believe that George Osborne has brought Johnson over in order to initiate a breeding programme.
"We expect a higher success rate than we have with our normal giant pandas," said a Chinese government official, "as he is clearly far more frisky."
Johnson is proving to be far more popular with the Chinese than Osborne, with passersby stopping to have their photograph taken with him. This is because giant blonde pandas are very rare, say local sources, whereas weasels aren't.
Natural enemies? The panda and the weasel
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