The Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C. welcomed the arrival of two young giant pandas from China, reviving a beloved diplomatic tradition known as "panda diplomacy" that had been dormant for the past 11 months. After landing at Dulles International Airport, the 3-year-old pandas, Bao Li and Qing Bao, made their way through the capital in a highly anticipated motorcade, marking the start of a 10-year stay as part of an agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association.
The National Zoo had been without pandas since November, following the departure of its former residents to a nature preserve in China's Sichuan Province. The excitement surrounding the pandas' return was palpable, as evidenced by the zoo's enthusiastic social media updates and the imagery-adorned FedEx trucks that escorted the pandas to their new home. These "celebearities," as they were affectionately dubbed by the zoo, will undergo a quarantine period and will become available for public viewing starting in January. With this latest development, both nations are once again leveraging the charm of these iconic creatures to foster goodwill and strengthen international ties.
The National Zoo had been without pandas since November, following the departure of its former residents to a nature preserve in China's Sichuan Province. The excitement surrounding the pandas' return was palpable, as evidenced by the zoo's enthusiastic social media updates and the imagery-adorned FedEx trucks that escorted the pandas to their new home. These "celebearities," as they were affectionately dubbed by the zoo, will undergo a quarantine period and will become available for public viewing starting in January. With this latest development, both nations are once again leveraging the charm of these iconic creatures to foster goodwill and strengthen international ties.
