Washington welcomes giant panda pair for public debut
Giant panda duo makes their public appearance in Washington.
TroibNews 
Bao Li and Qing Bao, the giant panda pair, made their first public appearance on Friday at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., following their arrival.
At the ceremony marking their official debut, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng remarked, “Embracing pandas is embracing peace and friendship.” He further stated, “Our shared love for pandas has deepened my conviction that China and the United States have much more in common than what divides us.”
Xie highlighted the successes of panda cooperation, asserting, “I will feel more confident that as long as we work together, we can make big, great things happen, to the benefit of both our countries and the world.”
Brandie Smith, the director of the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, expressed gratitude towards China for sending the new pair of giant pandas to Washington. She noted that the collaboration between the U.S. and China in panda conservation and research has shown promising outcomes, contributing to a steady increase in the giant panda population.
The three-year-old pandas, Bao Li, a male, and Qing Bao, a female, were sent as part of a 10-year international giant panda protection cooperation program. They left their hometown in Sichuan Province, China, and arrived in the U.S. capital on October 15, 2024.
(Cover: Giant panda Qing Bao makes her public debut along with Bao Li at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 24, 2025. /VCG)
Sophie Wagner for TROIB News
At the ceremony marking their official debut, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng remarked, “Embracing pandas is embracing peace and friendship.” He further stated, “Our shared love for pandas has deepened my conviction that China and the United States have much more in common than what divides us.”
Xie highlighted the successes of panda cooperation, asserting, “I will feel more confident that as long as we work together, we can make big, great things happen, to the benefit of both our countries and the world.”
Brandie Smith, the director of the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, expressed gratitude towards China for sending the new pair of giant pandas to Washington. She noted that the collaboration between the U.S. and China in panda conservation and research has shown promising outcomes, contributing to a steady increase in the giant panda population.
The three-year-old pandas, Bao Li, a male, and Qing Bao, a female, were sent as part of a 10-year international giant panda protection cooperation program. They left their hometown in Sichuan Province, China, and arrived in the U.S. capital on October 15, 2024.
(Cover: Giant panda Qing Bao makes her public debut along with Bao Li at the Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 24, 2025. /VCG)
Sophie Wagner for TROIB News
