China sent two giant pandas to the United States on Sunday, state media said, after a Washington summit that was heavy on symbolism and light on breakthroughs.

The pandas’ transfer had already been agreed, but the departure was announced on Thursday during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington.

The black and white mammals are immensely popular around the world, and China loans them out as part of a “panda diplomacy” programme to foster foreign ties.

Ping Ping and Fu Shuang departed from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport on a chartered flight at around 3:00 am on Sunday (12am PKT on Saturday), state news agency Xinhua reported.

Steamed corn buns, bamboo shoots and carrots have been prepared to keep the pandas nourished during their 15-hour flight, Chinese state-run media outlet the Global Times reported.

The Boeing 777 operated by FedEx was the top-tracked aircraft on aviation information platform FlightRadar24 as it neared Alaska, roughly halfway into its journey.

The pandas are headed to a zoo in Atlanta, Georgia, where they will be spending the next 10 years.

A farewell ceremony was held for the pair before their departure by the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.

Experienced keepers were dispatched by the US side to accompany the duo on their flight, the Global Times reported.

In preparation for their arrival, Zoo Atlanta has renovated its panda facilities and assembled a team of animal caretakers.

It has also ensured a stable and long-term supply of bamboo, grown locally in Atlanta, which has a climate that is very similar to Chengdu.

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

Both the expected arrivals were born in 2020. Ping Ping, a male, is now six years old, while Fu Shuang, a female, will turn six next month.

Pandas in captivity typically live for around 30 years.

The furry creatures have been sent across the globe for decades as soft-power ambassadors of Beijing’s diplomatic goodwill.

In 1972, China gifted a pair of pandas to Washington, following US President Richard Nixon’s historic visit.

Beijing recalled two of its pandas from Japan early this year, following a diplomatic spat that began when Japan’s prime minister hinted that Tokyo could intervene militarily in the event of any attack on Taiwan.