00:00 In a move reminiscent of the iconic Panda diplomacy, China is set to rekindle the spirit
00:10 of friendship with the United States by sending a pair of giant pandas to the San Diego Zoo.
00:17 This comes after a period of strained relations during which all pandas previously on loan
00:23 to US zoos were returned to China.
00:26 That's right, if all permits and requirements are approved, San Diego Zoo officials anticipate
00:32 the arrival of two pairs of giant pandas, one male and one female, as early as the end
00:38 of summer.
00:40 This marks a significant event nearly five years after the last pandas were returned
00:44 to China.
00:45 Chinese President Xi Jinping hinted at this during his US visit in November, referring
00:51 to the pandas as "envoys of friendship."
00:54 The pandas include a female descendant of Bai Yun and Gao Gao, who were former residents
01:00 of the San Diego Zoo.
01:01 Bai Yun, born in China, lived at the zoo for more than 20 years and gave birth to six cubs.
01:08 Gao Gao, born in the wild, resided in the San Diego Zoo from 2003 to 2018.
01:14 Pandas have played a significant role in diplomatic history.
01:17 The ping-pong diplomacy in the early 1970s paved the way for the historic visit of US
01:24 President Richard Nixon to Beijing in 1972, where pandas were gifted to the Smithsonian
01:30 National Zoo, marking the beginning of panda diplomacy.
01:33 However, 2023 witnessed the end of this panda diplomacy as the contract for lending these
01:40 furry ambassadors expired and was not renewed.
01:43 The last three pandas at the Smithsonian National Zoo were sent back to China, reflecting a
01:48 shift in the complex relationship between the two nations.
01:52 As one awaits the reports of official approval of permits, the potential return of giant
01:57 pandas to the San Diego Zoo symbolises not just a reunion with these beloved creatures
02:02 but also a step towards rebuilding diplomatic bridges between China and the United States.
02:08 [music]
