Hello,
Ever since I was a child I've dreamt of holding a baby panda in my arms. I'm planning a trip to China sometime in the future to see those beautiful creatures up close. I was wondering if there are reserves or animal zoos in China that let tourists pet pandas? I know there are places in thailand where you can play with tiger cubs.

When we were in Chengdu at the Panda Conservation and Research Center, the one up on the mountainside , not in town, I met two women who were working there as volunteers. Maybe you could check out a program like that.

You'd better start saving money now.

There is nowhere in China that you can hold a baby panda. You can hold young adult/adolescent panda at one panda sanctuary in Dujiangyan (west of Chengdu). You must make a reservation in advance for the limited spots available, and the fee is currently around RMB 2000 for only a few minutes of holding/photo taking. This facility also has a one-day volunteer program (also reserved in advance) but those do not involve direct contact with the animals. These programs are subject to discontinuation/termination at any time. A few years ago, an outbreak of canine distemper virus infected and killed a number of pandas at one reserve, prompting the government to shut down all tourist direct-contact programs in China. All except the Dujiangyan program remain shut.