If you're going to San Francisco, you're gonna meet some giant pandas.
The China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA) and the San Francisco Zoological Society and Gardens signed a letter of intent on giant panda conservation cooperation in Beijing on April 19.
The news comes as San Francisco mayor London Breed visits Beijing during her weeklong trip to China. It will be the city's first time hosting the beloved animals.
A pair of two-month-old snow leopard cubs walk around their enclosure at the San Francisco Zoo in San Francisco, California, August 9, 2018. /CFP
Under the letter of intent, the two parties will get actively involved in preparation work in accordance with regulations and technical standards, to make sure a pair of giant pandas will be safely transferred to San Francisco in 2025.
The two parties will jointly improve their ability to protect the highly endangered species and biological diversity through cooperation and knowledge sharing. They also aim to enhance people's friendships through these moves.
A ring-tailed lemur eats seeds out of a pumpkin before Halloween at the San Francisco Zoo in San Francisco, California, October 26, 2018. /CFP
The giant panda is not only China's national treasure, but also deeply welcomed and loved by people all over the world. It is recognized as a messenger and a bridge of friendship.
The United States was one of the first countries to cooperate with China in giant panda conservation. The joint work on its breeding, disease control and treatment started from the 1990s, and 17 cubs have by far been successfully bred.
(Cover: London Breed, mayor of San Francisco (L), and Wu Minglu, secretary general of the CWCA, hold up an agreement to lease giant pandas for the San Francisco Zoological Society and Gardens during a signing ceremony in Beijing, April 19, 2024. /CFP)