Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday that giant pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang will arrive at Zoo Atlanta “in a few days,” making the announcement at a White House ceremony during his state visit; the zoo declined to share their planned arrival date.
Zoo Atlanta announced an agreement in April with the China Wildlife Conservation Association to host the pair. The zoo previously housed pandas from 1999 to 2024.
China closely controls overseas panda exhibitions and leases the animals to international zoos, often in pairs for decade-long periods. Cubs born abroad remain Chinese property and generally return to China while young.
