San Francisco is set to receive a pair of pandas from China as part of the long-standing tradition of “panda diplomacy.” Mayor London Breed made the announcement during her visit to Beijing alongside officials from the China Wildlife Conservation Association. This will be San Francisco’s first time hosting pandas for an extended period of time, following a yearlong advocacy campaign. The city joins other U.S. cities in preparing to welcome pandas from China, as part of a program aimed at promoting wildlife conservation and fostering international relations.
China is the native habitat of pandas and has a majority of the black-and-white bears in the world. Beijing lends pandas to other countries as a way of diplomacy, as well as to support wildlife conservation efforts. Mayor Breed expressed excitement over the prospect of welcoming the pandas to the San Francisco Zoo, emphasizing the importance of collaboration with Chinese and Asian communities. The city had been working to advocate for the pandas for almost a year leading up to a key Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders’ meeting in San Francisco, during which the U.S. and Chinese presidents met.
The China Wildlife Conservation Association’s Secretary General, Wu Minglu, stated that they will collaborate with San Francisco officials to prepare for the pandas’ arrival and ensure the technical standards for their conservation are met. The planned arrival of the pandas in 2025 is a significant milestone for San Francisco, as it will mark the first time in more than two decades that China has agreed to send pandas to the United States. Currently, there are only four giant pandas in the U.S., all located at the zoo in Atlanta, making the arrival of pandas in San Francisco a rare and special occasion.
Pandas have long been a symbol of the friendship between the U.S. and China, dating back to China’s gifting of a pair of pandas to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. in 1972. China later loaned pandas to various zoos in Western nations to help with breeding efforts and increase the panda population. While recent years have seen China not renewing loan agreements at zoos in Washington, D.C. and Memphis, Tennessee, the announcement of pandas coming to San Francisco signifies a renewal of the historic panda diplomacy with Western countries.
The announcement of the pandas coming to San Francisco comes as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is set to visit China in the following week. The increased diplomatic exchanges between Washington and Beijing in recent months aim to ease tensions arising from various issues, such as trade, national security, and differing stances on international conflicts. Despite these challenges, the arrival of the pandas in San Francisco serves as a symbolic gesture of goodwill and collaboration between the two nations. The presence of pandas in San Francisco will not only benefit the local community but also serve to strengthen the ties between the U.S. and China through the shared appreciation for these beloved animals.
