Image Courtesy of https://nationalzoo.si.edu
At dinner in Beijing, China, in February 1972, First Lady Patricia Nixon mentioned her fondness for giant pandas to Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai. As a gesture of goodwill following President Nixon’s seminal state visit, Premier Enlai gifted two giant pandas to the American people. Nestled in the Nation’s Capital and with free admission, the President and Mrs. Nixon selected the Smithsonian’s National Zoo as the home for the giant panda bears. On April 16, 1972, the giant pandas Ling-Ling (a female) and Hsing-Hsing (a male) arrived at their new home. Over the next 20 years, Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing produced five cubs. Sadly, none of the offspring survived for more than a few days. But ever since their arrival, the pandas have symbolized cross-cultural collaboration between the United States and China.
Read more at https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/history-giant-pandas-zoo