US National Zoo pandas returned to China amid growing diplomatic tensions

Nov 08, 2023

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Alex Peebles (Producer), Ian Kennedy (Editor)

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Weeks before President Biden is set to meet with China’s President Xi Jinping at an economic summit in San Francisco, the U.S. said goodbye to the Smithsonian National Zoo’s three pandas. Pandas have been a staple at the National Zoo since 1972 when the Chinese Communist Party gave them to then-President Richard Nixon in exchange for two musk oxen, a move to push diplomatic relations forward at the time. The exchange was later dubbed “panda diplomacy.”

“On behalf of the people of the United States, I am pleased to be here and accept the precious gift of the pandas and also these other mementos from the government of the People’s Republic of China,” former first lady Pat Nixon said.

The pair of pandas lived in the National Zoo, where thousands of Americans witnessed the “panda-monium” until they passed away in 1999.

The following year, the National Zoo signed a 10-year agreement with the China Wildlife and Conservation Association, which loaned a new pair of pandas to the U.S. named Mei Xiang (May-SHONG) and Tian Tian (tee-YEN tee-YEN). The agreement has been renewed three times.

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The pair had a cub, Xiao Qi Ji (SHIAU-chi-ji), in 2020, bringing the total number of pandas at the National Zoo to three. However, according to the zoo’s director of communications, the deal has always been to return the pandas to their home in China.

Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute

Originally slated for Dec. 15, the panda’s move was pushed up to Wednesday, Nov. 8. The pandas have long been seen as a symbol of goodwill between China and the U.S., and they’re often referred to as “friendship ambassadors.”

But the expedited departure of the animals is raising questions as tensions grow between China and the U.S. The speculation is that China is asking for the panda’s return due to the crumbling diplomatic relations with the U.S.

ABC reported that zoo officials would not directly answer whether any attempts to extend the panda’s stay were made. However, panda experts told The New York Times that the pandas have reached an age when they should head home to China.

The panda family departure leaves four remaining pandas in the U.S. at Zoo Atlanta, but it is unclear how long those pandas will stay as their agreement expires in 2024.

Biden and President Xi are not expected to talk about “panda diplomacy” when they meet in San Francisco later in November.

Tags: China, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping

JUST WEEKS BEFORE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN IS SET TO MEET WITH CHINA’S PRESIDENT XI JINPING AT AN ECONOMIC SUMMIT IN SAN FRANCISCO – THE U.S. SAYS GOODBYE TO THE SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL ZOO’S THREE PANDAS…

PANDAS HAVE BEEN A STAPLE AT THE NATIONAL ZOO SINCE 19-72 WHEN THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY GAVE THEM TO THEN PRESIDENT RICHARD NIXON IN EXCHANGE FOR TWO MUSK OXEN… A MOVE TO PUSH DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS FORWARD AT THE TIME… THE EXCHANGE WAS LATER DUBBED “PANDA DIPLOMACY”

First Lady Pat Nixon: “On behalf of the people of the United States, I am pleased to be here and accept the precious gift of the Pandas and also these other momentos from the government of the People’s Republic of China.”

THE PAIR OF PANDAS LIVED IN THE NATIONAL ZOO WHERE THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS GOT TO WITNESS THE PANDA-MONIUM UNTIL THEY PASSED AWAY IN 19-99.

THE FOLLOWING YEAR – THE NATIONAL ZOO SIGNED A TEN-YEAR AGREEMENT WITH THE CHINA WILDLIFE AND CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION WHICH LOANED A NEW PAIR OF PANDAS TO THE U.S. – MEI XIANG (MAY-SHONG) AND TIAN TIAN (TEE-YEN TEE-YEN).. THE AGREEMENT HAS BEEN RENEWED THREE TIMES…

THE PAIR HAD A CUB – XIAO QI JI (SHIAU-CHI-JI) IN 2020 BRINGING TO TOTAL NUMBER OF PANDAS AT THE NATIONAL ZOO TO THREE… BUT ACCORDING TO THE ZOO’S DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS THE DEAL – ALL ALONG – HAS BEEN TO RETURN THE PANDA’S TO THEIR HOME IN CHINA…

ORIGINALLY SLATED FOR DECEMBER 15TH – THE PANDAS MOVE WAS PUSHED UP TO TODAY… NOVEMBER 8TH…THE PANDAS HAVE LONG BEEN SEEN AS A SYMBOL OF GOODWILL BETWEEN CHINA AND THE U.S. AND REFERRED TO AS “FRIENDSHIP AMBASSADORS”

BUT THE EXPEDITED DEPARTURE OF THE ANIMALS IS RAISING QUESTIONS AS TENSIONS GROW BETWEEN CHINA AND THE U.S. – THE SPECULATION IS THAT CHINA IS ASKING FOR THE PANDA’S RETURN AS A RESULT OF THE CRUMBLING DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH THE U.S.

ABC REPORTING THAT ZOO OFFICIALS WOULD NOT DIRECTLY ANSWER WHETHER ANY ATTEMPTS TO EXTEND THE PANDAS STAY WERE MADE…

THOUGH PANDA EXPERTS TOLD THE NEW YORK TIMES THAT THE PANDAS HAVE REACHED AN AGE WHEN THEY SHOULD HEAD HOME TO CHINA…

THE PANDA FAMILY DEPARTURE LEAVES FOUR REMAINING PANDAS IN THE U-S – AT ZOO ATLANTA – BUT IT IS UNCLEAR HOW MUCH LONGER THOSE PANDAS WILL STAY AS THEIR AGREEMENT EXPIRES IN 20-24.

BIDEN AND PRESIDENT XI ARE NOT** EXPECTED TO TALK ABOUT “PANDA DIPLOMACY” WHEN THEY MEET IN SAN FRANCISCO LATER THIS MONTH