On September 27, 2026, two giant pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, arrived in the United States under an agreement between the Chinese and American governments, confirmed by Zoo Atlanta. The pandas reached Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport aboard the dedicated ‘FedEx Panda Express’ Boeing 777 aircraft.
Raymond B. King, the president and CEO of Zoo Atlanta, expressed excitement on social media, stating, “This is a thrilling day for Zoo Atlanta and a historic moment for the City of Atlanta, the state of Georgia, and beyond. We are elated to welcome Ping Ping and Fu Shuang and look forward to sharing this joy with our members, guests, city, and community in the coming weeks.”
Although the pandas have arrived, visitors must wait to see them. Officials announced that the pandas would be quarantined for about a month in a biosecure area of the zoo’s new giant panda complex. A specific opening date for the exhibit has yet to be confirmed.
During a summit in Washington, Chinese President Xi Jinping revealed plans to loan the pandas to Zoo Atlanta. Their arrival was one of the few concrete outcomes of the state visit, showcasing diplomatic goodwill. In an image by Xinhua News Agency, the pandas were seen departing the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.
Zoo Atlanta has been involved in a giant panda agreement with China for over 25 years but had been without pandas since 2024. The new agreement announced in April brings Ping Ping and Fu Shuang for a 10-year stay. Both pandas, born in 2020, come from the Chengdu Research Base. Ping Ping is recognized by his dark black circles around his eyes, while Fu Shuang is noted for her protruding forehead, as reported by Xinhua News Agency.
China has strategically used pandas for global diplomacy, offering them as symbols of goodwill and allowing agreements to lapse during political tensions. Xi emphasized the loan program as a demonstration of “friendship between the Chinese and Americans.” Currently, the National Zoo and the San Diego Zoo are the other U.S. zoos hosting pandas, having received them in 2024.
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