Giant panda Xiao Qi Ji enjoys his "fruitsicle" birthday cake at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington D.C., the United States, August 21, 2023. /CFP
Giant pandas have long been envoys of friendship between Chinese and American peoples.
At a welcome dinner in San Francisco, Chinese President Xi Jinping remarked that China is ready to continue cooperation with the U.S. on giant panda conservation.
"I also learned that the San Diego Zoo and the Californians very much look forward to welcoming pandas back," he said.
"We are ready to continue our cooperation with the United States on giant panda conservation, and do our best to meet the wishes of the Californians so as to deepen the friendly ties between our two peoples," said the Chinese president.
A file photo taken on November 21, 2017 shows a giant panda enjoying its tree time in San Diego, California. /CFP
An image from June 2018 shows twin female cubs Ya Lun and Xi Lun at Zoo Atlanta, Georgia. /CGTN
Status quo: Atlanta now houses the only giant pandas in the U.S.
On November 8, 2023, three giant pandas at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C. left for China, leaving Atlanta's two mature pandas and two cubs as the last pandas in the United States.
The Smithsonian's National Zoo held a series of “giant farewell” events to let panda lovers bid farewell to the bear family. The farewell events have witnessed many visitors sharing their affection for the pandas and reluctance to see them leave.
Visitors paint and write with Chinese calligraphy brushes at the "Panda Palooza" in the Smithsonian National Zoo, Washington, D.C., the U.S., September 30, 2023. The event "Panda Palooza," held from September 23 to October 1, was a giant farewell celebration. /CFP
The China-U.S. collaboration on giant panda conservation dates back over 50 years, which has facilitated many giant pandas living in the U.S., and produced adorable cubs in the years that followed.
Four U.S. zoos have hosted giant pandas
According to media reports, only four zoos in the U.S. have hosted giant pandas: They are the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington D.C., the San Diego Zoo in California, the Zoo Atlanta in Georgia, and the Memphis Zoo in Tennessee.