Adding to the ongoing Panda diplomacy between China and the US, the National Zoo in the US announced that China will be sending two new pandas to the country.

The National Zoo in the US revealed that two new pandas from China are on their way to the country.

It was stated by the National Zoo in the US that after former US President Richard Nixon’s visit to China in 1972, the country brought the first pandas from China.

According to the Congressional Research Service, China started a practice called “panda diplomacy” to pursue its diplomatic goals. In 2000, two pandas named Mei Xiang and Tian Tian were sent to the zoo. Initially, the agreement for the panda couple to stay in America was set for 10 years, but it was extended several times.

In 2020, the two pandas had a cub named Xiao Qi Ji. Xiao Qi Ji and its parents returned to China last November. Following their departure, the only panda in America remained at the Atlanta Zoo. The pandas in Atlanta are also planned to return to China within this year. Two new pandas from China are now said to be headed to the National Zoo in Washington DC, following the return of two parents and a cub last November.

The announcement mentioned, “The giant pandas are coming back to Washington DC! As part of our 52-year conservation partnership with the China Wildlife Conservation Association, we are preparing to welcome two new bears – Bao Li and Qing Bao – by the end of 2024.”