Two giant pandas have arrived in Atlanta, Georgia, as a diplomatic gift from Chinese President Xi Jinping to the United States. This gesture follows a long tradition where China has leveraged the popularity of giant pandas as a tool in its international relations, a practice that dates back to the Nixon administration.
The recent arrival comes at a time of complex relations between the U.S. and China. The last three pandas in America were recalled to China from the same Atlanta zoo in 2024, during a period of strained relations under President Joe Biden. The return of pandas now offers a symbolic gesture of renewed friendship.
The history of panda diplomacy began in 1972 when then-First Lady Pat Nixon expressed her admiration for pandas during the Nixons' historic visit to China. Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai responded by gifting the U.S. two pandas, Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing. The animals were a sensation, generating significant public excitement and leading Pat Nixon to famously declare that "panda-monium" had broken out.
China quickly recognized the unique appeal of pandas and began using them to foster goodwill with other nations. Initially, pandas were gifted freely. However, over time, this practice evolved. Zoos began paying substantial annual fees for panda leases, often upwards of $1 million, with strict conditions regarding breeding and the care of the animals. Any offspring are considered the property of China, and zoos can face hefty fines if a panda dies while in their care.
Long before pandas became diplomatic assets, their encounters with the Western world were often fraught with peril and driven by curiosity and sport. The first European to document the animal was the Catholic missionary Pere Armand David in 1869, who procured a panda skin. Early 20th-century expeditions saw adventurers like Kermit and Ted Roosevelt hunting pandas, viewing them as trophies. Their expeditions, while celebrated in the U.S., were met with bewilderment and dismay by local Chinese communities who revered the animals.
In 1936, socialite Ruth Harkness embarked on an expedition with her husband, William, to bring back the first live giant panda to America. Tragedy struck when William died shortly after their arrival in Shanghai. Ruth, however, persevered, and with the help of a Chinese American guide, Quentin Young, she successfully captured a baby panda.
She named the panda Su Lin and managed to bring it back to New York, where it lived with her before moving to the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago. Harkness later returned to China to capture another panda, Mei Mei, to keep Su Lin company.
The allure of pandas spread rapidly, with collectors and zoos seeking to acquire them. By the late 1930s, arrangements were made to transport pandas to zoos in London and other European cities. These animals, like Mei Mei and others acquired by dealers, became major attractions, captivating the public and generating significant revenue for zoos.
Captivity breeding programs have historically proven challenging. For decades, zoos have experimented with various methods to encourage mating, including the use of "panda porn" and carefully managed environments. Despite these efforts, successfully breeding pandas in captivity has remained difficult, and many pandas born in zoos are later returned to China. The lack of successful breeding and the animals' inherent value have reinforced China's control over the species.
The global fascination with pandas was further amplified in the digital age. A viral video from 2006, featuring a baby panda's unexpected sneeze, captured the internet's attention, garnering hundreds of millions of views and highlighting the animals' enduring appeal across generations and cultures.