In a move signaling a thaw in relations with the West, China is dispatching giant pandas to the U.S., a first in over two decades. This move marks a resumption of China’s “panda diplomacy.”
What Happened: Two four-year-old pandas, Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, have departed from China’s Bifengxia Giant Panda Base in Sichuan province for the San Diego Zoo, where they will reside for the next ten years, CNBC reported on Thursday.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, along with delegates from both nations, were present at the Chinese facility to bid adieu to the pandas.
“This is a historic conservation partnership that will help protect these magnificent creatures and their habitat,” Gloria stated.
Paul Baribault, President and CEO of San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, highlighted the joint efforts of the U.S. and China in crucial conservation initiatives. The pandas were escorted by caretakers and veterinarians from both countries.
According to China Daily, the Chinese team will remain in San Diego for three months to assist the pandas in their transition. The public will have to wait to see the pandas as they acclimate.
The San Diego Zoo, the first in the U.S. to establish a cooperative panda conservation program, has not hosted pandas since 2019, when a female giant panda and her son returned to China.
China has historically employed “panda diplomacy” to exert soft power and alleviate U.S. tensions. Last year, amid escalating tensions, China withdrew three pandas from the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington. However, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi assured in January that pandas would return to the U.S.
Despite this, Neil Thomas, a fellow on Chinese Politics at Asia Society Policy Institute’s Center for China Analysis, informed CNBC that the pandas’ arrival in San Diego will have minimal impact on U.S.-China relations.
Why It Matters: This move comes in the wake of a series of diplomatic tensions between the U.S. and China. In May, the U.S. imposed new trade restrictions on 37 Chinese firms, which China vehemently opposed.
In June, the U.S. Ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns, accused Beijing of undermining diplomatic relations between the two nations.
Furthermore, the Biden administration is currently investigating Chinese telecom giants over potential data threats.
Image by Jono Photography via Shutterstock
This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Pooja Rajkumari
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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