They’re on their way, in all their wonderful, playful, adorable cuddliness, aboard the Panda Express. And they’ll soon be settled in their new home for the next ten years, at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.

They are Bao Li and Qing Bao, both age three, arriving from their native habitat in the mountains of southwest China, in a heartwarming demonstration of what can be accomplished when two people — or two countries — put aside their differences long enough to think of something other than whatever it is they’ve been fighting about.

Last November, in a visit to San Francisco, Chinese President Xi Jinping said that China would be sending a new pair of pandas to the U.S., as “envoys of friendship between the Chinese and American peoples.” [Nectar Gan, CNN, October 14, 2024.] And he has kept his word.

So what if it’s just good public relations for the Chinese government? It makes a lot of people happy . . . and that’s important in times of stress, and wars, and other disasters.

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The first pair of Chinese pandas to be sent to live in the United States — also at the National Zoo — arrived in 1972. Then President Nixon and his wife, Pat, were on a diplomatic mission to China, and were seated at dinner with Premier Zhou Enlai when Mrs. Nixon noticed a box of cigarettes on the table with a panda decoration on the cover. She commented on how cute the bears were, and how she loved them, to which Premier Zhou is said to have replied, “I’ll give you some.” And some weeks later, Washington had a new attraction: Ling Ling and Hsing Hsing arrived to a crowd of 20,000 visitors . . . and that was just on the first day. [Id.]

I waited a few days before braving the crowds, and stood in line for well over an hour. But it was worth the wait; they were just about the most adorable critters I have ever set eyes on.

Since then, there have been a number of other panda couples sent to various zoos in the U.S. and elsewhere. But since the last pair in the nation’s capital — Mei Xiang and Tiantian, together with their youngest cub, Xiao Qi — ended their stay here and returned home to China, the panda house has remained sadly empty.

But — now newly renovated — it will soon be a happy place again. The young couple will, of course, receive the royal treatment throughout their stay here, and hopefully will produce at least one heir, and perhaps even a spare, during that time. And the people of Washington will have something to smile about for the next decade.

So, for this lovely gesture — and setting aside all differences and animosity for just a little while — thank you, China. We love your pandas.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
10/15/24