China Announces Return of Giant Pandas to Zoo Atlanta

On September 24, a date scheduled for the Chinese president’s state visit to Washington, President Xi Jinping is expected to announce that two giant pandas—male Ping Ping and female Fu Shuang—will be shipped to Zoo Atlanta “in a few days.” The announcement will be made during opening remarks at the White House before bilateral talks with President Donald Trump. Xi described the pandas as “envoys of friendship” and called the news “a piece of good news” for the American people.

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Giant pandas have been used by Beijing as diplomatic symbols since the 1970s, a practice commonly called “panda diplomacy.” The United States first received pandas in 1972 following President Richard Nixon’s historic visit to China. Leases typically last a decade, and any offspring remain the property of China. Recent years have seen several pauses in the program: the National Zoo in Washington returned three pandas to China in 2023, and Zoo Atlanta sent its last pair—Lun Lun, Yang Yang, Ya Lun, and Xi Lun—back to China in 2024, ending a 25-year partnership.

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• Xi Jinping — President of the People’s Republic of China; announced the panda loan.

Xi says 2 giant pandas from China will arrive in the coming days at Atlanta's zoo

• Donald Trump — President of the United States; hosted the state visit and discussed broader cooperation.

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• Raymond B. King — CEO of Zoo Atlanta; expressed delight at being trusted with the pandas.

Xi says 2 giant pandas from China will arrive in the coming days at Atlanta's zoo

• China Wildlife Conservation Association — Chinese agency that manages the loan agreement with Zoo Atlanta.

Xi says 2 giant pandas from China will arrive in the coming days at Atlanta's zoo

• The pandas are both born at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.

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• Zoo Atlanta’s previous pandas were on loan from 1999 until their return in October 2024.

Xi says 2 giant pandas from China will arrive in the coming days at Atlanta's zoo

• The National Zoo received two new pandas, Bao Li and Qing Bao, in October 2024.

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• The San Diego Zoo welcomed a pair, Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, in June 2024.

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• The International Union for Conservation of Nature reclassified the species from “endangered” to “vulnerable” in 2016.

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Xi’s translated remarks emphasized the symbolic role of the pandas, stating they will “meet with the American people” and reinforce friendship between the two nations. The China Wildlife Conservation Association confirmed the research agreement reached with the zoo in April, which paved the way for the upcoming shipment.

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• “The decisions we make in these areas today can promote peace and prosperity for decades and decades to come,” — Donald Trump, President of the United States

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The panda loan arrives amid heightened U.S.–China tensions over trade, technology, and security issues in the Indo-Pacific. While diplomatic frictions continue, the pandas serve as a low-stakes channel for cultural exchange and public goodwill. Zoo Atlanta anticipates a surge in attendance once the animals arrive, and the partnership may enable joint research on panda conservation under the China Wildlife Conservation Association’s program.

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Sources differ on the exact spelling of the female panda’s name—Fu Shuang, Fu Xuan, or Fuhuan—reflecting variations in transliteration. No specific arrival date beyond “in a few days” has been disclosed by Zoo Atlanta, leaving the precise timing of the shipment uncertain.

Xi says 2 giant pandas from China will arrive in the coming days at Atlanta's zoo