Two giant pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, departed from Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province in southwest China, early this morning. Their destination is Zoo Atlanta in Georgia, US. This pair will reside in the US for 10 years as part of a long-standing loan program China has maintained.

This move comes just a day after Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded his state visit to the US. "Giant pandas have always been envoys of friendship between the Chinese and American people", President Xi stated on 24/9. China first sent pandas to the US in 1972 during the tenure of former President Mao Zedong, following Richard Nixon's historic visit as the first US president to China since 1949.

Pandas Fu Shuang (left) and Ping Ping. Photo: Global Times

The name Ping Ping, meaning peace, echoes the name of the first panda Mao Zedong gifted to the Soviet Union in 1957. Fu Shuang translates to "double blessing". The Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base held a farewell ceremony for the two pandas. Chinese officials also developed a detailed transport plan, including fresh bamboo and apples for their journey. The pandas are expected to arrive in Atlanta on the morning of 27/9.

China will deploy veterinarians and husbandry experts to Zoo Atlanta to oversee the pandas during their quarantine period after arriving in the US.

Banner welcoming the two pandas at Zoo Atlanta. Photo: CNN

According to Xinhua, teams from Zoo Atlanta and China held multiple online and in-person meetings to discuss plans for upgrading and renovating the panda habitat. Zoo Atlanta has previously hosted pandas, including Lun Lun and Yang Yang, who lived there from 2006-2016. Earlier this year, Zoo Atlanta expressed its excitement and honor at welcoming the new pandas.

Chinese Ambassador to the US Xie Feng posted images of the two pandas on his X social media account on the evening of 26/9, announcing their journey to the US. "Get ready to welcome our two furry stars", he wrote.

Thanh Tam (According to CNN, AFP, Global Times)