ATLANTA: China sends two giant pandas to US following a Washington summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump that featured considerable symbolism but produced limited major breakthroughs.
The transfer of the pandas had been agreed previously, but their departure was announced on Thursday during Xi’s visit to Washington. The animals are being sent to Zoo Atlanta, where they are expected to remain for the next 10 years.
China sends two giant pandas to US as part of long-standing panda diplomacy
According to Chinese state media, the two pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, left Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport on a chartered flight at around 3:00 am Sunday local time.
The 15-hour journey has been carefully planned to ensure the pandas remain well fed and comfortable. Their supplies include steamed corn buns, bamboo shoots and carrots, according to Chinese state-run media.
The FedEx-operated Boeing 777 carrying the pandas attracted significant attention on FlightRadar24, where it became the most-tracked aircraft as it approached Alaska, roughly halfway through its journey.
Pandas head to Zoo Atlanta
The pandas are travelling to Atlanta, Georgia, where they will spend the next decade. Zoo Atlanta has renovated its panda facilities and prepared a dedicated team of animal caretakers ahead of their arrival.
The zoo has also arranged a stable, long-term supply of bamboo grown locally in Atlanta. The local climate is considered similar to that of Chengdu, where the pandas originated.
Experienced Chinese and US animal-care teams have been involved in preparing for the transfer, with US keepers accompanying the pandas during their flight.
Both pandas were born in 2020
Ping Ping, a male panda, and Fu Shuang, a female panda, were both born in 2020. Ping Ping is six years old, while Fu Shuang is expected to turn six next month.
Pandas in captivity generally live for around 30 years.
Zoo Atlanta previously hosted Chinese pandas for 25 years beginning in 1999. However, the zoo has not had pandas since 2024.
Panda diplomacy dates back decades
China has sent giant pandas to countries around the world for decades as symbols of diplomatic goodwill and soft power.
In 1972, China gifted a pair of pandas to Washington following then-US President Richard Nixon’s historic visit to China.
The latest transfer comes after the panda agreement was highlighted during Xi’s Washington visit, adding a symbolic element to US-China relations.
Earlier this year, Beijing also recalled two pandas from Japan following a diplomatic dispute that began after Japan’s prime minister suggested Tokyo could intervene militarily if Taiwan were attacked.
