President Xi Jinping announces arrival of two pandas in Atlanta — Asharq Al-Awsat

Chinese President Xi Jinping said that two giant pandas from China — male Ping Ping and female Fu Shuang — will arrive at Zoo Atlanta in the United States in the coming days. He said this at the White House before talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, Asharq Al-Awsat reports.

The pandas’ return to Atlanta

China and Zoo Atlanta had announced plans as early as April to send the animals to the United States. Xi Jinping’s statement was the first public confirmation of the timing of their arrival. He called it good news and an example of friendship between the Chinese and American peoples.

Ping Ping and Fu Shuang were born at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China. They will arrive under a species conservation agreement between Zoo Atlanta and the China Wildlife Conservation Association.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

Program resumption

In 2024, four pandas — Lun Lun, Yang Yang, Ya Lun and Xi Lun — returned from Zoo Atlanta to China. This ended a 25-year partnership and left the United States without pandas loaned by China under the program for several months.

The National Zoo in Washington returned three pandas to China in 2023, but welcomed Bao Li and Qing Bao in October 2024. After the spring announcement about the new animals, Zoo Atlanta director Raymond B. King said the zoo was delighted and honored to once again be responsible for caring for this species.