China Reintroduces Panda Diplomacy with San Diego Zoo

In a gesture of friendship, China plans to send a pair of giant pandas to the San Diego Zoo, marking the return of panda diplomacy between the two nations.

China has signed agreements to send giant pandas to the San Diego Zoo, reigniting a tradition of animal-based diplomacy with the United States.
The San Diego Zoo, which last hosted pandas in 2019, is preparing to receive a male and female panda by the end of summer, pending permit approvals.
The China Wildlife Conservation Association has also reached agreements with zoos in Madrid and is in talks with zoos in Washington, D.C., and Vienna.
Panda diplomacy, a symbol of U.S.-China friendship since 1972, had been in question after several pandas were returned to China in recent years.
The return of pandas to the U.S. follows a hint by Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting with President Joe Biden, signaling a potential thaw in diplomatic tensions.