Panda diplomacy will be making a stop in San Francisco.
Mayor London Breed announced Thursday that China will loan a pair of the popular cuddly creatures to her city sometime in the near future, reported SF Gate.
Breed made her pitch to Chinese President Ji Jinping during the Asian Pacific Economic Summit in San Francisco this past November.
The China Wildlife Conservation Association is working closely with the city to prepare for the Giant Pandas sometime in 2025, according to The Hill.
“Having Giant Pandas semi-permanently will be of significant importance to San Francisco’s local Chinese and API communities, as well as the City’s economic and tourism efforts as a major boost to San Francisco’s attractions and offerings,” the city said.
Just this past February, the San Diego Zoo also announced it would be receiving two pandas.
LATEST STORIES
The city already has plans for a new panda enclosure and is in consultation with engineers in China to come up with a suitable plan. The pandas will not be sent to the city until the enclosure is completed, Axios San Francisco reported.
San Francisco last played host to two pandas in 1984 and 1985 as part of a global tour.
AsAmNews is published by the non-profit, Asian American Media Inc. Please support our fundraisers. Purchase your tickets to a Night of Hilarity- a fun conversation with comedienne Jiaoying Summers and ABC7/KABC anchor David Ono to be held October 9 in Los Angeles.
Then join us for a stimulating conference about issues that divide the Asian American communities. Our fundraiser Common Ground and the dinner after will be held October 26 at UC Berkeley.
AsAmNews is partially supported by the Stop the Hate grant administered by the California State Library in partnership with the California Department of Social Services and the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs. To report a hate incident or hate crime and get support, go to CA vs Hate.