Panda diplomacy signals thaw in US-China relations

China is sending two giant pandas to the United States in a move seen as a sign of stabilising relations between the two countries ahead of a planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in mid-May.

Zoo Atlanta announced that the pandas — a male named Ping Ping and a female named Fu Shuang — will be transferred under a new agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association. The zoo said the arrangement replaces a previous agreement that expired in 2024, Bloomberg reports.

The conservation group confirmed that the agreement had been signed last year, although neither side disclosed when the pandas are expected to arrive in the United States.

China’s practice of lending pandas to foreign zoos, often referred to as “panda diplomacy,” has long been used as a tool of international engagement, at times rewarding friendly relations or signalling disapproval.

Earlier this year, China recalled the last two pandas from Japan, effectively ending a program that had symbolised ties between the two countries since diplomatic relations were restored in 1972. The move came amid tensions linked to remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi regarding a possible scenario in which Japan could deploy its military if China attempted to take control of Taiwan by force.

In 2024, China sent two new giant pandas to Washington after an absence of nearly a year had raised concerns that the animals might not return to the US capital. At the time, the failure to renew an earlier agreement led to speculation that strained bilateral relations were a factor, although both governments denied political motives.

Relations between Washington and Beijing have shown signs of improvement since a meeting between Trump and Xi in South Korea last year, which resulted in a one-year truce in their trade dispute.

Trump is scheduled to visit China next month. The trip follows his decision to postpone a planned meeting in March in order to focus on the war with Iran.

By Tamilla Hasanova