Xi Jinping · China · Axios · Donald Trump · Axios
Trump and Xi's summit revives panda diplomacy
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◎ Multiple-sources
Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday during a visit with President Trump that China will send two pandas to Zoo Atlanta, calling them an "envoy of friendship.
Key facts
- The National Zoo's first pandas arrived during President Nixon and First Lady Pat Nixon made a historic trip to China in 1972 that opened a new chapter in U.S.–China relations
- Male Ping Ping and female Fu Shuang are both from China's Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday during a visit with President Trump that China will send two pandas to Zoo Atlanta, calling them an "envoy of friendship
- Pandas living at the National Zoo in D.C. returned to China in 2023 when their agreement expired, as Washington and Beijing butted heads over security, economic and humanitarian issues
Summary
Xi made the remarks Thursday during his three-day visit to D.C., where he and Trump are expected to discuss AI, economic ties and critical minerals before a state dinner. China typically loans pandas abroad for set terms as a sign of goodwill, and these pandas would be the first at Zoo Atlanta since its previous pandas returned to China in 2024.Zoo Atlanta confirmed to Axios on Thursday that the pandas Xi mentioned are the same ones the zoo and the China Wildlife Conservation Association announced in April. Male Ping Ping and female Fu Shuang are both from China's Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.