China has sent the giant pandas "Ping Ping" and "Fu Zhuang" from Chengdu to the United States, where they are set to live at the Atlanta Zoo in Georgia for 10 years following President Xi Jinping's visit to Washington.
China dispatched two giant pandas, the male "Ping Ping" and the female "Fu Zhuang," to the United States on the morning of Sunday, 27 September, according to official Chinese media reports. Both are scheduled to live at the Atlanta Zoo in Georgia for 10 years.
The two pandas departed from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport on a chartered FedEx flight at approximately 03:00 local time, with a flight duration of about 15 hours.
During the flight, the pandas were provided with steamed corn buns, bamboo shoots, and carrots. The FedEx Boeing 777 carrying the pandas became the most tracked flight on the FlightRadar24 platform as it approached Alaska, roughly halfway along the route.
This panda transfer is part of a prior agreement between the two sides, and the journey was announced during President Xi Jinping's visit to Washington last Thursday.
Before departure, a farewell ceremony for the pandas was held at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Experienced U.S. panda caretakers accompanied the pandas on the flight to provide care throughout the journey.
The Atlanta Zoo has upgraded its panda exhibit and assembled a dedicated animal care team to welcome the new residents. They have also secured a long-term supply of bamboo grown locally in Atlanta, where the climate is similar to that of Chengdu, China.
The Atlanta Zoo had previously housed pandas loaned from China for 25 years, starting in 1999, but had not had any pandas since 2024.
Both pandas were born in 2020. Currently, Ping Ping is 6 years old, and Fu Zhuang will turn 6 next month. Pandas in captivity typically live to around 30 years of age.
China has been sending pandas to countries around the world for several decades, using them as part of what is known as "Panda Diplomacy" to promote relationships and cooperation internationally.
Back in 1972, China gifted a pair of pandas to the United States following President Richard Nixon's visit to China, a landmark event in the history of relations between the two countries.
The journey of Ping Ping and Fu Zhuang marks the return of Chinese pandas to the Atlanta Zoo and reflects the role pandas play as friendly ambassadors in China’s international relations.
Source:channelnewsasia
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