Two new pairs of giant pandas will join the Smithsonian鈥檚 National Zoo in Washington DC and the San Diego Zoo in California by the end of the year, signalling a shift in 鈥減anda diplomacy鈥�.
鈥淚t鈥檚 official, the pandas are coming back to DC!鈥� said US First Lady Jill Biden in an on social media. This marks the first time in two decades that China has sent giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) to US zoos.
The transfer of bears between the nations first began in 1941, when China gifted a pair of pandas to the US. Then in 1972, China sent another pair to former US president Richard Nixon as a gesture of thanks for visiting the country. That ushered in a new era of panda diplomacy 鈥� the practice of loaning pandas to other countries as a symbol of goodwill or to strengthen diplomatic relations. Since then, China has contracted with a dozens of zoos around the world to lease the bears for five or 10 years at a time, usually for $1 million per pair each year.
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鈥淧andas are an important strategic asset for the Chinese leadership,鈥� says at the Asia Society Policy Institute. 鈥淧andas generate soft power for China overall, but they are also diplomatic tools that are deployed in ways and places that are intended to benefit the government鈥檚 international strategy.鈥�
In recent years, three out of four US zoos with pandas were required to return their bears to China as a result of unsuccessful contract negotiations between the zoos and the Chinese government. Many speculated it was a reflection of the rising tensions between the countries. But the recent announcement of the pandas鈥� return suggests both nations are invested in this partnership.
The new pandas, male Bao Li and female Qing Bao, are both 2 years old. They will probably arrive in Washington DC this fall or winter, as the bears prefer travelling in cooler weather. will also welcome 4-year-old male Yun Chuan and 3-year-old female Xin Bao this year. Because both zoos have signed 10-year contracts, the US is guaranteed to host the pandas until 2034.
The return of giant pandas to US zoos could be a measure to smooth the nations鈥� relationships headed into a US election year, says Russel. 鈥淚t may be more than just coincidence that Beijing chose this time to return the pandas.鈥�
