Zoo officials traveled to China and met the male and female pandas, Yun Chuan and Xin Bao, who will be part of a new loan agreement aimed at supporting a “shared goal of creating a sustainable future for giant pandas.”

San Diego Zoo officials announced on Monday 7th July that they have met the two giant pandas in China who are set to be loaned to the zoo, with the animals expected to arrive this summer. Xin Bao and Yun Chuan are the first giant pandas to come to the US in 21 years and will be on display at the San Diego Zoo in the coming weeks.

The pandas are still acclimating to their new habitat and will not be ready to meet the public for several weeks, reported the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. Once the pandas are acclimated and ready to meet the public, the zoo will share a debut date with specific information.

Meet Xin Bao and Yun Chuan, the Two Giant Pandas Set to Live at the San Diego Zoo

Xin Bao is a nearly 4-year-old female described as a “gentle and clever introvert with a sweet, round face and large ears,” according to a zoo statement. Her name means “new treasure of prosperity and abundance.”

Yun Chuan, nearly 5 years old, is described as calm, gentle, and adorable. He is the son of Zhen Zhen, who was born at the San Diego Zoo in 2007 to parents Bai Yun and Gao Gao. The first character of his name, “Yun,” is a nod to his grandmother Bai Yun, who lived at the San Diego Zoo for 23 years.

Since the pandas’ arrival, Chinese experts have been assisting the zoo team to cater to the pandas’ dietary preferences, which include fresh bamboo and a local adaptation of wowowtou, a traditional Chinese bun also known as “panda bread.”

Panda Diplomacy: China’s Political Exchange for International Recognition

Panda diplomacy is the practice of sending giant pandas from China to other countries as a diplomatic tool. From 1941 to 1984, China gifted pandas to other countries. After a policy change in 1984, pandas were leased instead of gifted.

Before Mao Tse-tung’s revolution, Chiang Kai-shek’s wife initiated the practice of gifting pandas. Following the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, pandas were used to strengthen and consolidate Beijing’s political ties with other nations, a practice that continues to this day.

In the 1950s, China began gifting pandas to allied countries. Between 1972 and 1984, China gifted pandas to Western nations, notably the United States. From 1984 to 1998, pandas became part of China’s “open-door” policy to foreign investment, and they were leased to countries prioritized in Beijing’s foreign policy. This leasing arrangement involves signing a contract, and if the pandas have offspring during their stay at a foreign zoo, the cubs are considered property of China.

Times have changed: in the 1970s, Beijing sought access to the world. Today, the world seeks access to the Chinese market, one of the fastest-growing economies, especially in times of global recession. In this context, panda diplomacy offers China an excellent opportunity to communicate its expectations to its partners while offering the loan of these iconic mammals in return.