By AFP - Agence France Presse
The pandas, like Trump, are back in Washington
Washington (AFP) - President Trump is back - Washington's new stars are two giant pandas who made their public debut on Friday in front of hundreds of fans.
Bao Li and Qing Bao strolled around their enclosure, played in the snow, and ate bamboo at the Smithsonian National Zoo in the US capital.
The pair, who arrived from China in October, were quarantined while their home was renovated with new climbing structures, water features, and bouldering areas.
Bao Li and Qing Bao - both three years old - are part of a 10-year agreement with China after the previous pandas in Washington returned home in 2023.
Their arrival is the latest chapter in so-called “panda diplomacy”, in which China's black and white bears are sent around the world as ambassadors of soft power.
After Washington lost its last pandas, the lack of immediate replacements was seen by many as a symbol of rising tensions between Washington and Beijing.
Zoo officials said the two new residents had adapted well, with Bao Li, a male, happy to eat anything, although the female Qing Bao is more demanding.
“For more than 50 years, giant pandas have been an integral part of the fabric and culture of Washington,” said zoo director Brandie Smith.
“Bao Li and Qing Bao have won our hearts and we are thrilled to welcome panda fans back to the zoo.”
Bao Li's name translates as “active and vital power”, while Qing Bao means “green” and “treasure”.
They were taken from Chengdu to Dulles Airport in Virginia aboard a FedEx cargo plane decorated with images of giant pandas.
According to the zoo's agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association, the pandas will remain in the United States for a decade for an annual fee of US$1 million.
The pandas are too young to breed but will reach sexual maturity between four and seven years of age. Any cub would leave for China at a young age to take part in the country's breeding program.
Thanks to conservation efforts, the giant panda was downgraded last year from “endangered” to “threatened”.
You can be sure that the giant panda was downgraded last year from “endangered” to “vulnerable” on the global list of species at risk of extinction.
The new pandas are among the few that remain in the United States, including a pair that arrived at the San Diego Zoo last summer.
The Washington Zoo has relaunched its popular giant panda camera, with 40 cameras that transmit images throughout the day.
The zoo is also selling panda-themed products, from M&M candies to sweatshirts, pillows, and notepads with the slogan “The pandas are here”.
The first pandas were sent to Washington as a gift in 1972, after US President Richard Nixon's historic visit to the communist nation.
bgs/bjt
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