giant pandas

Four giant pandas at Chongqing Zoo celebrate their 5th birthday, attracting tourists in Chongqing, China, 23 June, 2024. (Photo by Imaginechina/Sipa USA) *** Local Caption *** 54181797

China sends giant pandas to the US for the first time in two decades

Rosana Rábago Sainz

Giant Panda Tian Tian rests in its enclosure at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, DC, on November 7, 2023, on the pants final day of viewing before returning to China. All three of the zoo's pandas are leaving for China by the end of the year, bringing at least a temporary end to a decades-old connection between the cuddly animal and the US capital. And while the pandas' departure had been expected due to contractual obligations, many can't help but see the shift as reflective of the growing strains between Beijing and Washington.

Smithsonian National Zoo's giant pandas leave the United States for China

Rosana Rábago Sainz

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