The couple of pandas Tian Tian, 26 years old, Mei Xiang25 and her little one Xiao Qi Jithree years old, flew this Wednesday to the China Wildlife Conservation Association.
The three giant pandas lived in the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, DC, and they symbolized the cooperation between the US and the Asian country that has been maintained for 50 years in favor of the conservation of this species.
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Xiao Qi Ji, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian were embarked on the “Panda Express” FedEx, a Boeing 777 aircraft, which departed from Dulles International Airport, Washington. The trip will take 19 hours to reach Chinawhere the oldest pandas were born.
“This is a moment of rejoicing because it is one more step in 50 years of a successful program for the giant panda conservation and, hopefully, the beginning of another 50 years,” said zoo director Brandie Smith.
According to the zoo directorBrandie Smith, at some point the pandas will come back US territory as a commitment of cooperation program.
“Let everyone know that the future is bright for whats giant pandas. “We remain committed to this program and look forward to celebrating with all of you when the pandas return to DC,” Smith added.
Panda diplomacy in doubt due to tensions between the US and China
Although the departure of the giant panda family has to do with the end of the loan contract, it has also been interpreted as a consequence of the political tensions between the United States and Chinasince the Asian country has not given dates to renew the agreement of loan from other pandas.
The last episodes that have marked the difference between both nations were the visit of the Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan and the presence of a supposedor chinese spy balloon that explored the territory of the United States detected at the beginning of 2023.
After the departure of Tian Tian, Mei Xiang and Xiao Qi Ji in the US only four pandas that currently live in the Zoo of Atlanta Georgiabut they already have a date to leave the country and return to their origins in China.
According to what was announced by the zoo, the two youngest giant pandas will return to China in early 2024 and the two oldest at the end of the same year.
“No discussions have yet taken place with partners in China about the status of the program giant pandas beyond the end of the loan in 2024,” said the Zoo Atlanta on their website.
Giant pandas as symbols of peace
Pandas represent for China, animals of peace used as symbols of cooperation and good will. The diplomacy panda began in 1972, when the American president Richard Nixon traveled to China to meet with Mao ZedongChinese president.
In accordance with cnnZedong gifted Nixon two giant pandas to alleviate and recover bilateral relations between both countries after the end of the diplomatic tensions back then.
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In the best moment of giant panda loan program There were 15 of these animals in the United States, however, the number decreased as the numbers increased. conflicts with China.
Yeah China decides to put an indefinite pause on the agreements to provide giant pandas to the US and those found in atlanta return to Asian soil in 2024; Xin Xin, the giant panda that lives in the Chapultepec Zoo, in CDMX, it will be the only one of its kind in the entire American container.
With information from EFE and AFP