China gifts US two giant pandas in a show of ‘friendship’, Yun Chuan and Xin Bao to be placed in San Diego Zoo

China said two pandas are on their way to a zoo in the US, a sign relations between the nations are improving

For the first time in over two decades, the United States will welcome a pair of giant pandas from China. Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, selected from the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) in Sichuan Province, are set to arrive at the San Diego Zoo as part of a landmark 10-year international giant panda protection cooperation program.

In this photo released by Xinhua News Agencym, giant panda Xin Bao is seen on a tree at the Bifengxia Panda Base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Yanan, southwest China's Sichuan Province on April 18, 2024. (AP)

The pandas departed from Sichuan on Wednesday, making a brief stop in Hong Kong before their scheduled arrival in the U.S. on Thursday, according to the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA). This initiative follows an agreement signed in February between the CWCA and the San Diego Zoo, marking a new era of collaborative efforts in giant panda conservation.

"This is a historic conservation partnership that will help protect these magnificent creatures and their habitat," tweeted Todd Gloria, Mayor of San Diego, who attended a farewell ceremony in Ya'an, where the pandas had been residing.

Yun Chuan and Xin Bao will be accompanied by experienced breeders and veterinarians to ensure their safe and comfortable journey. "We anticipate a 20 to 40 percent boost in attendance...because we know people love these creatures," Gloria remarked.

Yun Chuan, a nearly five-year-old male, is notably the son of Zhen Zhen, a panda born at the San Diego Zoo in 2007, further deepening the connection between the zoo and the panda lineage.

Li Desheng, deputy director of the CCRCGP told China XinhuaNews that Yun Chuan and Xin Bao will strengthen the bond between China and the United States. "These pandas are ambassadors, kind of like an icon for this nation," Gloria added, acknowledging the special place giant pandas hold in China's cultural and national identity.

Paul Baribault, CEO of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, have shared insights into the meticulous preparations made for the pandas' arrival. "We've expanded their living space and prepared all their food to ensure they feel right at home," Baribault said, emphasizing the zoo's dedication to providing the best possible environment for Yun Chuan and Xin Bao.