Chinese President Xi Jinping hinted on Wednesday about the possibility of sending new pandas to the United States, describing them as “envoys of friendship between the Chinese and American peoples.”
This gesture is part of ongoing efforts to improve the strained relationship between the two nations.
In a speech delivered in San Francisco, Xi mentioned, “I…learned that the San Diego Zoo and the Californians very much look forward to welcoming pandas back.”
“We are ready to continue our cooperation with the United States on panda conservation, and do our best to meet the wishes of the Californians so as to deepen the friendly ties between our two peoples.” He expressed
Xi’s comments followed extensive talks with US President Joe Biden, during which positive steps were taken to stabilize the rocky relations between the world’s top two economies.
China has a tradition of loaning pandas to over 20 countries as part of its “panda diplomacy.”
While China has granted panda loans to several European countries over the past decade, the US has not received any new panda loans for two decades.
Pandas have historically reflected the state of China-US relations since 1972, when Beijing gifted a pair to the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, D.C., following President Richard Nixon’s historic visit to China.
Last year, China extended its panda diplomacy to the Middle East by sending a pair of pandas to Qatar.
Notably, the recent return of the last three pandas from the Smithsonian National Zoo marked the end of over 50 years of Chinese pandas being housed there.
Currently, Zoo Atlanta is the only US zoo featuring pandas from China, with the contracts set to expire next year.
During a dinner event, Xi did not provide specifics about the potential destinations for new pandas but hinted that California might be the most likely choice.
His visit to San Francisco is part of a four-day trip, including attendance at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation international forum, marking his first visit to the US in over six years.
The four-hour meeting between Xi and Biden signaled a positive development in their relations, being the first time they spoke since November 2022.
This meeting follows their last encounter on the sidelines of an international gathering in Bali, Indonesia.
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