China-US Friendship Blossoms: Giant Pandas Debut at San Diego Zoo

The long-awaited arrival of the two giant pandas, Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, at the San Diego Zoo marks the conclusion of a months-long diplomatic mission that brought the first new pandas to the United States in over 20 years. California Governor Gavin Newsom declared Thursday as "California Panda Day" and recognized the pandas' arrival as a symbol of the "long history" of collaboration between California and China for "shared goals." Chinese Ambassador to the United States, Xie Feng, participated in the ceremonial event in San Diego alongside Newsom. Xie emphasized that the cooperation between China and the U.S. in the field of panda conservation will continue and that people-to-people exchanges and subnational cooperation will not cease. "The door of China-U.S. friendship will not be closed again," Xie stated. Newsom highlighted that this event is "much deeper and richer than just a celebration of the two beautiful pandas we are celebrating." It is about celebrating our shared humanity. Excitedly, the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance announced on X, formerly known as Twitter, the opening of Panda Ridge, accompanied by a picture of the newly arrived pandas showcasing their distinct personalities, munching on bamboo, and exploring their new habitats. "We can't wait for you to meet America's finest pandas," posted the Wildlife Alliance. The rare loan was secured in February after Chinese President Xi Jinping met U.S. President Joe Biden on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Summit in California in November. Xi described the pandas as "friendship envoys" and committed to continuing cooperation with the U.S. in panda conservation and to fulfilling the wishes of Californians to deepen the friendly ties between our peoples. Yun Chuan and Xin Bao traveled over 11,000 kilometers from the Bifengxia Giant Panda Base, a research and conservation station in China's Sichuan Province, arriving in the U.S. on June 27. Yun Chuan, described as "gentle, affectionate, and lovable," has familial ties to San Diego; his mother Zhen Zhen was born at the zoo in 2007, and his grandmother Bai Yun lived there for 23 years until 2019. Paul Baribault, President of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, stated that the innovative habitat is four times larger than the zoo's previous panda area and was inspired by famous geological formations in China, including mountains, gorges, and cliffs. More pandas are expected to arrive in the U.S. in the coming months, including at the National Zoo in Washington as well as zoos in San Francisco, Atlanta, and Memphis, Tennessee. China began its panda diplomacy with the U.S. in 1972 when two bears were gifted to the National Zoo shortly after U.S. President Richard Nixon's visit to China. Before the arrival of the new pair in California, there were only four pandas left in the U.S., all at the Atlanta Zoo, who are scheduled to return to China by the end of the year when the loan agreement expires.