ATLANTA: Giant pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang delighted visitors to Zoo Atl­­anta during their public debut on Fri­day, chewing bamboo and lounging in the­ir new US habitat while on loan from China.

A male named Ping Ping and female Fu Shuang arrived from Chengdu in September via a FedEx flight dubbed the “Panda Express,” and are to be hosted in the southern US facility for the next 10 years. Pandas are “animals that have got a unique ability to inspire curiosity, instill passion, evoke joy, and unite people around the globe,” CEO Raymond King told onlookers at Zoo Atlanta.

“This extraordinary spirit of partnership helps create a future for a species that is truly beloved the world over.” 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. “I think they inspire happiness,” zoo visitor Rachel Totts said. “They make people smile. I’ve never seen someone not say ‘Oh, it’s so cute!’ when they’re looking at a panda.”

Native to temperate forest habitats in East Asia, the lumbering black-and-white mammals do not typically travel long distances in the wild. But many have been shipped to zoos around the world as a part of Beijing’s decades-long “panda diplomacy” programme to foster foreign ties.

The furry show of “soft power” came as top US officials called on China to uphold the trade agreement made in an October 2025 meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2026