China to Send Pandas to Atlanta Within Days

Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday at the White House that two giant pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, will arrive at Zoo Atlanta in a few days. He called the panda a symbol of friendship between the Chinese and American peoples and said the pair will meet the American people. The announcement came ahead of talks with President Donald Trump during Xi's three-day D.C. visit. Trump greeted Xi on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews, a rare gesture. The male and female were born at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Zoo Atlanta and the China Wildlife Conservation Association announced the agreement in April. In an April statement, zoo president Raymond B. King said the zoo cannot wait to meet the pair and welcome the community back to giant pandas. Atlanta's previous pandas returned to China in 2024 after 25 years; Lun Lun and Yang Yang produced seven cubs, the zoo said. National Zoo pandas first arrived in 1972 after Pat Nixon's China trip; they returned in 2023, with new pandas in 2024 at the National Zoo and San Diego Zoo. Zoo Atlanta said it will not share the arrival date and has no further information to share. China's foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the cooperation would help panda well-being, biodiversity protection, and friendship between the peoples.