First giant pandas sent from China in decades make their debut at San Diego Zoo

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Two giant pandas sent from China earlier this summer made their debut at the San Diego Zoo on Thursday morning as officials welcomed the public into their new habitat.

Four-year-old Yun Chuan and three-year-old Xin Bao, who arrived in the US in June, are the first pandas China has sent to the US in over two decades. The adorable duo will reside at the California zoo for the next ten years.

The debut ceremony featured music, dance performances and speeches before local officials cut a ribbon and welcomed the public into the pandas’ new home.

Watch the livestream of the giant pandas here

The pair have spent the summer acclimatizing to their 6,000ft private habitat, known as “Panda Ridge.” Giant Pandas last resided at the San Diego Zoo in 2019.

Yun Chuan is recognizable by his “long, pointy nose” while Xin Bao is known for her “large, round face and big, fluffy ears,” the zoo said.

Xie Feng, ambassador to the US from China, was among the speakers.

“Two little panda fans from California wrote several letters to me proposing giving China grizzly bears to get pandas,” he told the crowd.

“I am most happy to tell them, after eight months of joint efforts, we have finally brought Yun Chuan and Xin Bao to San Diego. Your dreams have come true, even without giving us grizzly bears,” he joked.

California Governor Gavin Newsom praised the pandas’ arrival, calling it a moment of pride and excitement.

“In politics, you can't legislate pride,” Newsom said. “There's no bill you can sign. You can't legislate spirit. It manifests, and it manifests in moments like this. So I hope we can lift that up. I hope we can appreciate and embrace that at a moment like this.”

Yun Chuan and Xin Bao were born at the Wolong Shenshuping Panda Base in Sichuan, China. Yun Chuan’s mother, Zhen Zhen, was born in San Diego in 2007 before returning to China in 2010.

His grandmother, Bai Yun, lived in the San Diego Zoo for 23 years. Bai Yun and her partner, Shi Shi, arrived in 1996 and were the first pandas sent to California.

Governor Gavin Newsom declared August 8 “California Panda Day” to honor the duo’s debut.

“Giant pandas are beloved around the world and their conservation story is an inspiring example of strong partnerships and innovative strategies to protect the world’s natural heritage,” Newsom said.

The bears arrival in San Diego came after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi promised the country would send giant pandas before the end of the year, the Associated Press reports. Chinese President Xi Jinping made a similar promise after meeting with President Joe Biden last year in California, calling the pandas “envoys of friendship between the Chinese and American peoples.”

Their arrival marks a return of “panda diplomacy,” a method used often by Beijing officials to soften China’s image in the US, the Associated Press reports.

The US received its first-ever pair of giant pandas in 1972 at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington, DC after President Richard Nixon made a diplomatic visit to China.