Panda diplomacy: Chinese pandas land in DC weeks before election
WASHINGTON - As of Tuesday morning, panda-monium is officially back in Washington.
Giant pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao arrived at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute shortly before noon, after a roughly 19-hour, 8,250-mile trip from Chengdu, China.
One expert on China said the timing – three weeks before the U.S. presidential election – may not be a coincidence.
"I assume that everything is calculated," said the Stimson Center’s Yun Sun, who added that the panda’s arrival may have been orchestrated with one particular candidate in mind.
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"If [former President Donald] Trump wins, the Chinese will be expecting an uphill, tough battle with Trump, at least on trade and most likely on other things as well," explained Sun. "So, if they decide to send a panda to Washington after Trump wins the election, it will be perceived as China basically paying respect to Trump already or trying to send Trump a gift after he wins the election, so that hopefully Trump will be nicer to China. I don’t think the Chinese want to strike that impression, that China is already acknowledging defeat or trying to play nice with Trump from the very beginning."
But, she added, she does believe Chinese officials want pandas at the National Zoo.
"Its target audience is all the visitors from all over the country to Washington," Sun continued. "It will send the message of China’s friendliness, and China’s desire to have friendly ties with American people."
While the pandas’ arrival in Washington came before the election, it will take some time for them to become acclimated.
Zoo officials said the pandas will be quarantined for at least 30 days. Bao Li and Qing Bao are expected to make their public debut on January 24, 2025.
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Two new giant pandas are on the way to the National Zoo less than a year after the previous pair left. The zoo will be closed Tuesday to give the new pandas some time to settle in. FOX 5's Sierra Fox spoke to people outside the zoo who are eager for their return.