Chinese president says Atlanta will receive two pandas ‘in a few days’

The Atlanta Zoo is expected to receive two giant pandas soon, according to Chinese President Xi Jinping during his first visit to Washington in a decade.

Xi called the pandas an “envoy of friendship” during remarks at a White House news conference Thursday.

“In a few days, two pandas — Ping Ping and Fu Shuang — will come to their new home in Zoo Atlanta and meet with the American people,” he said.

The announcement came during Xi’s visit to Washington with President Donald Trump, where the two are expected to sit down to discuss pressing international issues, including trade relations and artificial intelligence.

Giant pandas have been a tool of diplomacy between China and other countries for decades. In 1972, then-Chairman Mao Zedong offered the U.S. two giant pandas during President Richard Nixon’s visit to China.

It’s unclear precisely when the black-and-white giant pandas will arrive in Atlanta.

“Zoo Atlanta will not be sharing the pandas’ arrival date,” Zoo Atlanta spokesperson Rachel Davis said. “We have no further information to share at this time.”

The zoo announced in April plans to bring a male, Ping Ping, and female, Fu Shuang, to Atlanta as part of a new 10-year international cooperative research agreement on giant panda conservation with the China Wildlife Conservation Association.

“Zoo Atlanta is delighted and honored to yet again be trusted as stewards of this treasured species and to partner with the China Wildlife Conservation Association on the continued conservation and research efforts that are the most important outcomes of this cooperation,” Raymond B. King, president and CEO said in a statement at the time.