Giant Panda Duo Bao Li and Qing Bao Delight at Washington Debut
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C., welcomed two new stars on Friday as giant panda pair Bao Li and Qing Bao made their much-anticipated public debut.
The three-year-old pandas, Bao Li (male) and Qing Bao (female), captured hearts as they explored their new enclosure, delighting visitors with their playful antics. The pair arrived in the U.S. capital on October 15, 2024, from their hometown in southwest China’s Sichuan Province, as part of a 10-year international giant panda conservation program.
At the ceremony celebrating their debut, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng expressed hope for strengthened ties between the two nations. “Embracing pandas is embracing peace and friendship,” he said. “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, stating, “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, director of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, thanked China for sending the new panda pair. “The collaboration between the U.S. and China on the conservation and research of giant pandas has yielded fruitful results,” she said. “This partnership has helped the number of giant pandas grow steadily, which has been a success story.”
Visitors to the zoo can now witness these ambassadors of conservation up close, offering a unique opportunity to learn about giant pandas and the efforts to protect them.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
