Female giant panda Mei Xiang celebrates 25th birthday in U.S. zoo

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Giant panda Mei Xiang enjoys her 25th birthday cake in Washington, D.C., United States, July 22, 2023. /CFP via Getty Images

Giant panda Mei Xiang has celebrated her 25th birthday at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C. "in style with a beautiful fruitsicle cake" and lots of love.

Keepers at the Smithsonian's National Zoo present a birthday cake and other goodies to giant panda Mei Xiang in celebration of her 25th birthday in Washington, D.C., United States, July 22, 2023. /CFP via Getty Images

According to the zoo, the blue cake, along with its "25" topper, was made of frozen-diluted apple juice, with mashed sweet potatoes, mashed carrots, apple slices and bamboo adding "a decorative flair to the festive treat."

The Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C. tweets to wish giant panda Mei Xiang a happy birthday. /CGTN

The zoo has also posted a video online, showing Mei Xiang munching away on her specially crafted multi-tiered cake.

A crowd of eager fans watch as Mei Xiang enjoys her birthday festivities in Washington, D.C., United States, July 22, 2023. /CFP via Getty Images

A crowd of eager fans watched as Mei Xiang enjoyed her birthday festivities, and they were joined by virtual visitors who tuned into the zoo's Giant Panda Cam.

Giant panda Mei Xiang enjoys her 25th birthday cake in Washington, D.C., United States, July 22, 2023. /CFP via Getty Images

The Smithsonian's National Zoo welcomed their first pair of Chinese giant pandas on April 16, 1972, following then-U.S. President Richard Nixon's groundbreaking trip to China.

Giant pandas Mei Xiang (left) and her cub, Xiao Qi Ji, enjoy a fruitsicle cake in celebration of the Smithsonian's National Zoo's 50 years of collaboration with China in conserving giant pandas in Washington, D.C., United States, April 16, 2022. /CFP

And it was in late 2000 when the furry black-and-white duo of female Mei Xiang and male Tian Tian took up residence in the zoo. During their decades-long stay, Mei Xiang gave birth to four surviving cubs, including Xiao Qi Ji, or "Little Miracle," the male cub born to Mei Xiang using frozen semen from male Tian Tian in 2020.