After bidding farewell to giant pandas Huan Huan and Yuan Zi, who recently concluded their 13-year stay in France, the country is expected to welcome a new pair of pandas in 2027, according to a newly signed letter of intent between the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA) and Beauval Zoo in Saint-Aignan.

According to a statement posted on CWCA's WeChat account on Thursday, the organization and France's Beauval Zoo have signed a letter of intent to extend their international collaboration on panda conservation. The partnership aims to deepen China-France cooperation on giant pandas, advance the overall level of scientific research in the field, and strengthen friendly exchanges between the peoples of both countries.

The new agreement will take effect once the current cooperation cycle concludes and the two panda cubs currently in France – Huan Lili and Yuan Dudu, twins of Huan Huan and Yuan Zi – return to China.

Both sides have agreed to maintain close communication and, following the international requirements and technical standards for panda conservation, work toward the early formal signing of a renewed agreement.

A new pair of giant pandas is scheduled to arrive at Beauval Zoo in 2027, marking a ten-year cooperation period.