Atlanta (United States) (AFP) – Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, two giant pandas on loan from China, delighted visitors to the Atlanta Zoo in the state of Georgia on Friday in their first public appearance since their arrival in the United States.

Published on: 07/11/2026 - 11:52

Ping Ping, a male, and Fu Shuang, a female, arrived in September and are expected to spend the next ten years at this zoo in the south of the country.

These animals “have the unique ability to arouse curiosity, awaken passion, provoke joy and bring people together around the world,” said Raymond King, the zoo manager.

“This extraordinary spirit of collaboration helps secure the future of a truly globally valued species,” he added.

In anticipation of their arrival, Zoo Atlanta renovated its facilities and assembled a team of animal caretakers.

It also guaranteed a stable, long-term supply of bamboo, grown locally in Atlanta.

“I think they bring happiness,” Rachel Totts, who visited the zoo on Friday, told AFP.

"They make people smile. I've never seen anyone look at a panda and not say, 'Oh, he's so cute,'" she added.

Zoo Atlanta previously hosted pandas on loan from China for a quarter of a century starting in 1999, but it had not hosted any since 2024.

Beijing has been sending these soft-furred creatures to the four corners of the globe for decades, as ambassadors of its “soft power” and diplomatic goodwill.

As early as 1972, for example, China offered a pair of pandas to Washington, following the historic visit of American President Richard Nixon to the communist nation.

But if panda loans are used to illustrate good diplomatic relations, ursids can also be recalled to signify discontent.

© 2026 AFP

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