San Diego Zoo Welcomes New Pair of Giant Pandas From China

(Photo : STR/AFP via Getty Images)

In a world where tensions are high and conflicts are frequent, there is one animal that seems to have the power to bring people together: the giant panda.

These black-and-white bears, native to China, have long been used as symbols of friendship and goodwill by the Chinese government, who loans them to other countries as part of a cultural exchange program known as "panda diplomacy".

Panda diplomacy dates back to the 7th century, when the Tang Dynasty empress Wu Zetian sent a pair of pandas to Japan as a gift.

Since then, China has gifted or loaned pandas to more than 20 countries, including the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, and Australia. The pandas are usually accompanied by a hefty fee, which goes towards panda conservation efforts in China.

The Return of the Panda Diplomats

In recent years, panda diplomacy has faced some challenges, as political and economic disputes have strained the relations between China and some of its panda partners.

For instance, in 2019, China recalled all of its pandas from U.S. zoos, after the Trump administration imposed tariffs on Chinese goods and accused China of unfair trade practices.

Similarly, in 2020, China threatened to take back its pandas from Canada, after Canada arrested Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou at the request of the U.S.

But now, it seems that panda diplomacy is making a comeback, as China has announced plans to send a new pair of giant pandas to the San Diego Zoo, renewing its longstanding gesture of friendship toward the United States.

The move comes after the Biden administration took office and expressed a willingness to cooperate with China on issues such as climate change, public health, and nuclear proliferation.

The new pandas, expected to arrive later this year, will join Bai Yun and her cub Mei Sheng, who have been living at the San Diego Zoo since 1996 and 2003, respectively.

The San Diego Zoo, which has been hosting pandas since 1987, is one of the few zoos in the world that has successfully bred pandas in captivity, contributing to the conservation of the endangered species.

The zoo also conducts research on panda behavior, health, and genetics, and collaborates with Chinese scientists and conservationists.

The zoo's director, Paul Baribault, said that he was delighted by the news of the new pandas, and that he hoped they would help foster a positive relationship between the two countries.

"We are honored and grateful for this opportunity to continue our partnership with China and to welcome these new ambassadors of peace to our zoo," Baribault said. "We believe that pandas have a unique ability to connect people across cultures and inspire them to care about wildlife and the environment."

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The Role of Zoos in International Diplomacy

The San Diego Zoo is not the only zoo that has stepped into the role of international diplomacy through its panda program.

In fact, zoos around the world have been using their animal collections and conservation efforts to establish and maintain ties with other countries, especially those that share a common interest in wildlife protection.

For example, the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington D.C., which hosted pandas from 1972 to 2019, has been involved in several cooperative projects with China, such as training Chinese veterinarians, conducting field studies on wild pandas, and supporting community-based conservation initiatives.

The zoo's director, Steve Monfort, said that the zoo's panda program was "a model of how scientific collaboration can advance conservation goals and build positive relationships between nations".

Similarly, the Madrid Zoo in Spain, which received two pandas from China in 2007, has been working with Chinese experts to improve the panda habitat, diet, and breeding success.

The zoo's director, Javier Almunia, said that the panda program was "a great opportunity to exchange knowledge and experience with our Chinese colleagues, and to raise awareness among our visitors about the importance of conserving biodiversity".

Other zoos that have hosted or are planning to host pandas include the Vienna Zoo in Austria, the Berlin Zoo in Germany, the Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland, the Beauval Zoo in France, the Tokyo Zoo in Japan, and the Adelaide Zoo in Australia.

Each of these zoos has signed cooperation agreements with the China Wildlife Conservation Association, the organization that oversees the panda diplomacy program. The agreements stipulate that the zoos pay a fee to China for the pandas, and that any cubs born at the zoos are returned to China when they reach a certain age.

The China Wildlife Conservation Association's director, Zhang Zhihe, said that the panda diplomacy program was not only a way to promote friendship and cooperation, but also a way to support the conservation of pandas and their habitat.

He said that the program had helped increase the panda population, both in captivity and in the wild, and that the fees paid by the zoos had funded various projects to protect the panda's natural environment and to restore the bamboo forests that they depend on.

"Pandas are a national treasure of China, but they also belong to the world," Zhang said. "We are happy to share them with other countries, and to work together to ensure their survival and well-being."