China's Xi Jinping Announces Return of Giant Pandas to Atlanta Zoo
President Xi Jinping announced that two giant pandas will soon arrive at Zoo Atlanta as part of a conservation program.
Chinese President Xi Jinping announced Thursday that two giant pandas from China will arrive at Zoo Atlanta in the coming days, continuing a loan program between the two nations that had paused amid strained relations.
Xi made the announcement at the White House before talks with President Donald Trump, marking the first public confirmation of the timing for the pandas' arrival. The animals, a male named Ping Ping and a female named Fu Shuang, were born at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China. Their relocation is part of a conservation agreement between Zoo Atlanta and the China Wildlife Conservation Association.
This marks a significant development for the U.S. panda population, which had dwindled after four pandas on loan from China to Zoo Atlanta were returned in 2024. At that time, Beijing reclaimed Lun Lun, Yang Yang, Ya Lun, and Xi Lun, ending a 25-year partnership and leaving the U.S. without any pandas for several months. The National Zoo in Washington D.C. also returned three pandas to China in 2023 before receiving new arrivals Bao Li and Qing Bao in October 2024.
When the return of pandas to Atlanta was first indicated in the spring, Zoo Atlanta CEO Raymond B. King expressed enthusiasm, stating his facility was "delighted and honored to yet again be trusted as stewards of this treasured species."
Xi referred to the pandas' upcoming arrival as "good news" and a symbol of "friendship between the Chinese and Americans."