The planned appearance of rare bears in the US capital will help breathe new life into the strained relationship between China and the US.
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| China has long sent rare members of its bear family to foreign countries as a gesture of goodwill to build relationships in a practice known as panda diplomacy. (Photo: Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute). |
China will send a pair of giant pandas to Washington later this year, the Smithsonian National Zoo said Wednesday. News of the giant pandas returning to the U.S. capital comes six months after Tian Tian, Mei Xiang and their cub Xiao Qi Ji left the zoo last year in a symbolic departure that symbolized the deteriorating Sino-U.S. relationship.
China has long sent rare members of its bear family to overseas countries as a gesture of goodwill to build relationships in a practice known as panda diplomacy.
The first pair of giant pandas arrived in Washington in 1972 after US President Richard Nixon met with Chinese leader Mao Zedong. Since then, the loan of giant pandas has become a symbol of US-China friendship over the past 50 years.
The two pandas arrived in the United States just two years ago. One male giant panda is named Bao Li – “treasure” and “full of energy” – and the other is named Qing Bao – “green treasure”.
Bao Li's grandparents, Tian Tian and Mei Xiang, both lived at the Washington Zoo from 2000 until last year. Bao Li's mother, Bao Bao, was born at the zoo in 2013.
A date for their public debut has yet to be determined, with the zoo saying the pandas will undergo a regular quarantine of at least 30 days and take several weeks to settle into their new habitat.
US First Lady Jill Biden announced the panda news via a light-hearted video, in which she prepares to welcome the playfully referred to as “special” guests.
When asked about the menu and dietary restrictions for the formal dinner, Brandie Smith, director of the National Zoo, said guests adhere to a strict vegetarian diet and noted that they may honk if they feel nervous.
Smith described the zoo's "joy" in continuing its breeding and conservation collaboration with Chinese scientists, praising the "undeniable impact" of the partnership's return.
Earlier this month, Xie Feng, China's ambassador to the United States, hailed the black and white bear conservation partnership as “fruitful” at an event held at the Chinese embassy in Washington.
“As messengers of goodwill, giant pandas have brought joy to many Americans over the past five decades,” said Ambassador Xie. “Our cooperation on panda conservation has paid off. Together, we have successfully bred 17 panda cubs, helping to remove the panda from the endangered list.”
The U.S. zoo said Wednesday it has signed a new research and breeding cooperation agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association that runs through 2034.
Under similar terms to previous agreements, a pair of adults will be sent to the zoo and any cubs born on zoo grounds will be transferred to China before the age of 4. They will remain in Chinese ownership.
Scientists from both countries will conduct joint research in China and at the Washington Zoo to find new techniques to improve the health and welfare of giant pandas in captivity and the wild, the zoo said.
Researchers plan to study how climate change affects panda habitats by measuring bamboo growth under increased temperatures in experiments.
They also plan to look at how to connect sanctuaries in the wild to support pandas and neighboring species, including red pandas, golden pheasants and snub-nosed monkeys.
Source: https://baoquocte.vn/ngoai-giao-gau-truc-tro-lai-trung-quoc-gui-cap-gau-truc-den-my-cuoi-nam-2024-273103.html
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