US-China 'Panda Diplomacy' Revival? Xi Jinping Calls Them "Ambassadors of Friendship"

Xi Jinping "Pandas, Ambassadors of Friendship Between China and the United States"
Only 4 Pandas Remain After Lease Ends in the US

Chinese President Xi Jinping hinted at the possibility of resuming "panda diplomacy," a symbol of Sino-American friendship, during his visit to the United States for the first time in six years.

According to Bloomberg on the 15th (local time), President Xi said at a business dinner held in San Francisco, USA, "Pandas have long been ambassadors of friendship between the Chinese and American people," adding, "We are ready to continue cooperating with the United States for panda conservation. We will do our best to meet the hopes of California residents for the friendly relations between the peoples of the two countries."

4-year-old panda Xiao Qiji playing at the National Zoo in Washington DC, USA, on September 28 (local time). Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, who were leased to the United States by China in 2000, returned to China with Xiao Qiji on the 8th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

He also said, "I have heard that many Americans, especially children, hesitate to say goodbye to the pandas and go to the zoo to see them off," and "I also learned that the San Diego Zoo and the people of California are looking forward to the pandas' return."

Previously, the pandas residing at the San Diego Zoo returned to China in 2018 and 2019, respectively, after their lease agreements ended. China first sent pandas to Washington DC in 1972, and after they gained popularity, pandas were leased to other zoos across the United States. The number of pandas in the U.S. increased to as many as 15 but gradually decreased as lease agreements expired.

On the 8th, female Mei Xiang, male Tian Tian, and their cub Xiao Qi Ji, who were at the National Zoo in Washington DC, returned to China. When the four pandas currently in Atlanta return to their homeland next year, there will be no pandas left in the United States. The American daily The New York Times (NYT) evaluated, "Since their arrival in Washington DC, pandas have been a symbol connecting the United States and China," and "At least for now, the era of panda diplomacy has come to an end."

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