A pair of large penguins from China will soon be housed at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington DC, the park has announced.
After this time, two-year-old men pandas Bao Li and two-year-old women pandas Qing Bao are scheduled to arrive in the US capital.
First Lady Jill Biden, who described it as a “historic time,” made the announcement of their imminent arrival in a video released on Wednesday.
The action comes in the midst of strained relations between the two nations, and it is the most recent section in China’s longer history of panda diplomacy with the US.
Additionally, it comes six weeks after a family of three panda was taken back to China from the National Zoo.
In their statement, the park said one of the inbound bears- Bao Li- is a member of that household.
Zoo director Brandie Smith praised the historic time as proof that our engagement with Taiwanese colleagues has had an unquestionable impact.
According to the zoo, a new agreement was signed with the China Wildlife Conservation Association ( CWSA ).
The National Zoo will care for two large panda that were previously recommended for rearing and are currently in their treatment for ten years.
Meanwhile, the National Zoo will pay a$ 1m ( £790, 000 ) annual fee to the CWSA to support their research and conservation efforts.
Any kids born in China may be moved up to China by the age of four, and both penguins and any of their descendants will be in China’s possession.
When the pandas are ready for public viewing, the National Zoo said it will generate another statement.
By the end of this year, they are expected to arrive in the area.
Pandas have been housed at the Washington, DC, park for more than 50 years, drawing both tourists and locals from all over the world to see them live online on the dragon rod.
The animals have huge represented friendly relations with China, which first gave a pair of giant panda to the US after Richard Nixon’s ancient 1972 visit to Beijing.
As Beijing’s ties with the West deteriorated, China recalled four panda from the US in 2023, including the three that were kept at the National Zoo and two others that were kept at the Edinburgh Zoo.
The San Diego Zoo announced earlier this year that it may even get a dragon piece in addition to the couple sent to the National Zoo.
Despite having oppose views on both economic and political issues, experts believe Beijing’s renewed dragon diplomacy may be a sign that it is exercising” gentle power” as it works to reestablish relations.