BEIJING (AP) — San Francisco is the latest U.S. city preparing to receive a pair of pandas from China, in a continuation of Beijing’s famed “panda diplomacy.”
San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced the panda loan in Beijing on Friday, alongside officials from China Wildlife Conservation Association, or CWCA. It will be San Francisco’s first time hosting the beloved animals long-term — the result of a yearlong advocacy campaign, Breed said.
San Diego previously announced it was receiving two pandas back in February.
China is home to the only natural habitat for pandas and owns most of the black-and-white bears in the world. Beijing loans the animals to other countries as a tool for diplomacy and wildlife conservation.
“San Francisco is absolutely thrilled to be welcoming giant pandas to the San Francisco Zoo,” Breed said after signing a letter of intent for international cooperation on giant panda conservation.
Brazil's president creates two new Indigenous territories, bringing total in his term to 10
Xinjiang braces for more passenger train suspensions amid extreme weather
China to further enhance medical treatment for critical pregnant women
FIFA plans to add slew of new committees years after cutting them in anti
39 killed in deadly building fire in Jiangxi
56.4 pct of China's postgraduates hold professional degrees
Social media star revives interest in ancient Chinese writing
Art reshapes rural scene in SW China village
A reset at running back might look different for the Cowboys 8 years after drafting Ezekiel Elliott
Village operators drive development in Zhejiang's Lin'an district