Ping Ping and Fu Shuang
| Species | Giant panda |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male (Ping Ping) Female (Fu Shuang) |
| Born | 17 March 2020 (Ping Ping) 18 October 2020 (Fu Shuang) Chengdu, China |
| Residence | Zoo Atlanta, United States (27 September 2026–present) |
Ping Ping (Chinese: 平平; lit. 'Peace Peace'; born 17 March 2020) and Fu Shuang (Chinese: 福双; lit. 'Double Blessings'; born 18 October 2020) are two giant pandas given to the United States by Chinese leader Xi Jinping during his 2026 state visit. They arrived at Zoo Atlanta on 27 September 2026.
Lives
[edit]Ping Ping was born on 17 March 2020 in the Sunlight Nursery of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding to Mao Mao (mother) and Xiong Bang (father). He and his younger twin An An, were the base's first giant panda twins of 2020 and had the earliest birth time recorded in the base's history. The twins' names when paired, form Ping'an (Chinese: 平安; lit. 'Peace and Tranquility'), "representing a blessing for a smooth and healthy life".[1] At one month old, they were given the nicknames Re Gan Mian (Chinese: 热干面; lit. 'Hot Dry Noodles'), after the signature noodle dish of Wuhan, and Dan Hong Gao (Chinese: 蛋烘糕; lit. 'Egg Cake'), a popular pancake street food from Chengdu, as a tribute to medical teams from Chengdu that worked in Wuhan at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.[2][3]
Fu Shuang was born in the Moonlight Nursery of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding to Fu Lu (mother) and Gong Zai (father). Through her mother, she has two younger half-sisters, Fu Ru and Fu Wan.[4] Their names take after their mother's name, Fu Lu (Chinese: 福禄; lit. 'Blessings and Happiness').[1]
Zoo Atlanta
[edit]On April 23, 2026, Zoo Atlanta announced a new agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association. On 24 September 2026, during his 3-day state visit to the United States, Chinese leader Xi Jinping announced the imminent arrival of the two pandas during his opening remarks to US president Donald Trump at the White House.
On September 27, 2026, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang boarded the “FedEx Panda Express” Boeing 777-F at Chengdu Shuangliu Airport and flew to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Before the flight, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding held a send-off ceremony for the two pandas.[2] Upon landing, they were then lifted into FedEx trucks and delivered to Zoo Atlanta.[5]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 "The Giant Pandas Have Landed!". Zoo Atlanta. 27 September 2026. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- 1 2 "Ping Ping the Giant Panda". Pandacommon. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
- ↑ "Panda Dan Hong Gao (Egg Cake): A Popular Snack in Sichuan". Pandatribe. 30 November 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ↑ "Fu Shuang the Giant Panda". Pandacommon. Retrieved 28 September 2026.
- ↑ "Giant Pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang Arrive in Atlanta on the FedEx Panda Express". FedEx Newsroom. 27 September 2026. Retrieved 29 September 2026.