Loved as much as Fubao... 3 Pandas Returned from US Zoo

Three Pandas Returned to Washington DC on the 8th
Practically Ending 50 Years of 'Panda Diplomacy'
Focus on Biden-Xi Jinping Meeting on the 15th

Three pandas, known as 'animal diplomats' and symbolic of China’s role in improving U.S.-China relations, have left Washington DC, the capital of the United States, and returned to China. With the deterioration of U.S.-China relations, the panda diplomacy that has lasted for over 50 years appears to have effectively come to an end.

As U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to hold a summit on the 15th, marking their first meeting in a year, attention is focused on whether the two countries can achieve improvements in their relationship.

Last September, Panda Xiao Qiji playing at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington DC, USA. [Image source=Yonhap News]

'Popular' Pandas' Return to China Broadcast Live by U.S. Media

According to reports from the Washington Post (WP) and the New York Times (NYT) on the 8th (local time), three pandas ? female Meixiang, male Tiantian, and their cub Xiao Qi Ji ? who lived at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington DC, departed for Chengdu, China, on that day. They will spend the rest of their lives in the Sichuan Province protected area, the largest panda habitat designated as a World Natural Heritage site in 2006.

The pandas were transported by truck to Dulles International Airport and then took a 19-hour flight on a FedEx Boeing 777 cargo plane. To minimize stress on the pandas, preparations for the move had been underway for several months, accompanied by two caretakers and one veterinarian. Approximately 220 pounds (about 100 kg) of bamboo was prepared as in-flight snacks.

The pandas left the U.S. as their lease agreement between China and the United States was set to expire on the 7th of next month. National Zoo officials explained that the contract stipulates pandas should be returned to China when they reach old age or, in the case of cubs, before they reach four years old, which is their breeding age. This year, Meixiang and Tiantian are 25 and 26 years old respectively, and Xiao Qi Ji is 3 years old.

On the 8th (local time), a FedEx cargo plane carrying three pandas?a female named Meixiang, a male named Tiantian, and a cub named Xiao Qiji?was returned from the United States to China.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Meixiang and Tiantian, who were raised in China, arrived at the National Zoo in Washington in December 2000, and Xiao Qi Ji was born in August 2020.

Meixiang and Tiantian initially signed a 10-year contract under an official agreement between the U.S. and China, which was extended twice for five years each, and then extended again for three years shortly after the COVID-19 outbreak. During this time, despite Meixiang’s advanced age, she successfully gave birth, leading to the cub being named Xiao Qi Ji, meaning “little miracle.”

The pandas’ return to China was broadcast live by NBC and other networks. Considering the pandas’ immense popularity at the National Zoo, this was done to accommodate public interest. In particular, Xiao Qi Ji was ranked as the most popular panda by fans worldwide. The Smithsonian National Zoo capitalizes on this popularity by selling panda-shaped posters, mugs, pajamas, puzzles, and even ice cream.

According to reports, many visitors came to the zoo in the weeks leading up to the pandas’ departure. Some traveled hundreds or even thousands of miles just to see the pandas. The Washington Post reported that because the schedule for the pandas’ return was not disclosed in advance, some visitors who drove overnight were disappointed to find the enclosures empty.

'Panda Diplomacy' Began in 1972... Uncertain if China Will Lease Again

The New York Times described the pandas as “a symbol connecting the U.S. and China since their arrival in Washington DC,” and assessed that “the era of panda diplomacy has, at least for now, come to an end.”

The first pandas arrived in Washington DC in 1972. At that time, U.S. President Richard Nixon visited Beijing to initiate the normalization of U.S.-China relations, and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai promised to lease pandas to Pat Nixon, the First Lady, who was impressed by the pandas. After a pair of pandas arrived in Washington DC that year and gained great popularity, China sent pandas to other zoos across the U.S., and at one point, there were 15 pandas in the United States.

The panda Xiao Qiji receiving an ice fruit cake to celebrate its 3rd birthday last August at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington DC, USA. [Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

The Smithsonian National Zoo paid China $500,000 (about 660 million KRW) annually for the panda lease. Although the initial purpose of the lease was panda conservation as an endangered species, China used 'panda diplomacy' to foster a positive perception of China among the American public.

However, as U.S.-China relations changed, the number of pandas in the U.S. gradually decreased. Over the past decade, worsening relations and the expiration of lease contracts have led to a decline in the panda population in the U.S. Some have speculated that the disappearance of pandas in the U.S. reflects the current state of U.S.-China relations.

Currently, four pandas remain at the Atlanta Zoo in Georgia, but when their lease expires next year, there will be none left in the U.S. The National Zoo plans to request a new pair of pandas from China, but it is uncertain whether China will agree.

China has continued to use pandas as a diplomatic tool. In 2019, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations, China leased a pair of pandas to Russia, and the panda handover ceremony at the Moscow Zoo was attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who was on a state visit. Qatar also received a pair of pandas last year, becoming the first Middle Eastern country to do so.

Meanwhile, the panda Fu Bao, beloved by the public at Everland Zoo in South Korea, will be returned to China before July next year according to the contract with China. Born in July 2020, Fu Bao will turn four years old in July 2024.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.