The United States and China may be at odds these days over Russia’s war in Ukraine, cheap Chinese exports, tensions with Taiwan and human rights issues.
But when it comes to giant pandas, diplomacy is back.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in China confirmed this week that two giant pandas – Yun Chuan and Xin Bao – would be sent from the China Conservation and Research Center to the San Diego Zoo. The zoo has a long-standing partnership with China in panda conservation research, and a ministry spokesperson said future exchanges would focus on the prevention and treatment of major diseases and the protection of habitat.
“We believe that as China-US cooperation in this field deepens, it will strengthen the capacity for cooperation and research on the conservation of endangered wildlife and biodiversity and contribute to the conservation of endangered wildlife and the friendship between the Chinese and Americans,” said spokesperson Lin Jian. , said.
It’s unclear when the new pandas will arrive, but the agreement should allay fears that recent tensions between the United States and China could threaten the beloved tradition of panda diplomacy.
China has been lending bears to American zoos for more than five decades as a friendly gesture between the two countries. But as the United States has returned most of its pandas to China in recent years, many admirers have worried that the practice could end.
In November, two adult pandas, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, and their 3-year-old cub, Xiao Qi Ji, were driven in trucks from the National Zoo in Washington and then returned to China on a FedEx Boeing 777 called Panda. Express. The San Diego Zoo returned its last pandas in 2019. Last April, the Memphis Zoo returned his female giant pandaYeah yeah.
Leaders of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance conservation team recently traveled to China to meet the pandas. Yun Chuan is a nearly 5-year-old male whose mother was born at the San Diego Zoo in 2007. and, according to the Conservation Alliance, is known for being a “gentle and witty introvert.”
“Our partnership over the decades has served as a powerful example of how, when we work together, we can achieve what was once thought impossible. » said Dr. Megan Owen, vice president of conservation science at the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.. “We have a common goal: to create a sustainable future for giant pandas. »
The announcement follows recent efforts by senior Biden administration officials to stabilize U.S.-China relations.
In April, Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken made separate trips to China, where they expressed concern over issues including the recent increase in Chinese green energy exports and human rights abuses in the Xinjiang region.
Experts on U.S.-China relations expressed appreciation for the symbolism of pandas, but noted that many larger issues still require further progress.
Eswar Prasad, former head of the International Monetary Fund’s China division, expressed hope that collaboration on panda conservation could lead to greater cooperation in areas such as climate change.
“A pair of pandas, no matter how cute and fluffy they are, will do little on their own to ease Sino-U.S. tensions,” said Mr. Prasad, who is also a professor at Cornell University. “Nevertheless, it is certainly a good omen if the two sides can continue cooperation on issues where they have common goals while keeping them away from issues where they have deep-rooted conflicts.” »
And even though Chinese pandas have been granted passage to San Diego, flights for American and Chinese travelers remain limited.
“I am happy that the United States and China can find a way to cooperate or exchange on anything,” said Meg Rithmire, professor at Harvard Business School, specializing in the comparative political economy of development, with an emphasis on China. “I would also like to see more visas and visits for humans.”
