During his recent state visit to the United States, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that two giant pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, would be sent to Zoo Atlanta in Georgia. The move, described by some observers as a diplomatic masterstroke comparable to a famous soccer maneuver, revives the practice of “panda diplomacy.” However, whether these iconic animals still hold the same power to warm international relations in 2026 is increasingly debated.
Panda diplomacy traces its modern roots to 1972, following President Richard Nixon’s historic trip to China, which marked a thaw in U.S.-China relations. For decades, China gifted pandas to other nations as symbols of goodwill. By 1984, however, Beijing shifted to a leasing model as panda populations dwindled, charging host countries approximately $1 million annually for a pair. The presence or absence of pandas has often mirrored the ebb and flow of diplomatic ties; for instance, Japan returned its pandas in early 2026 amid tensions over Taiwan, ending a partnership that dated back to the normalization of relations in 1972. Similarly, in 2010, two U.S.-born cubs were repatriated shortly after Chinese officials cautioned President Barack Obama against meeting the Dalai Lama.
Czeslaw Tubilewicz, a senior lecturer at Adelaide University, noted that no other animal has been so extensively politicized. He suggested that selecting Zoo Atlanta was a strategic choice, given Georgia’s consistent economic engagement with China despite broader anti-China sentiment in many Republican-led southern states. “Xi Jinping is trying to kill two birds with two pandas,” Tubilewicz observed.
Yet, the efficacy of this soft-power tool is under scrutiny. China’s transformation from a developing nation to a global superpower, coupled with its involvement in numerous geopolitical disputes, has complicated its international image. Ja-Ian Chong, an associate professor of political science at the National University of Singapore, argued that the cuddly image of pandas no longer overshadows China’s more visible aggressive actions. “No one cares about pandas when national security or geostrategic interests come into play,” Tubilewicz added.
Public opinion data supports this skepticism. A 2022 study from the University of Connecticut found that non-government-sourced panda videos could positively influence U.S. students’ views of Chinese culture. However, a 2026 NORC survey revealed that only 28% of U.S. adults believed sending pandas to American zoos would improve their view of China. Far higher percentages indicated that concrete actions, such as cooperation on curbing fentanyl precursors or easing trade restrictions, would be more impactful.
Conservationists and animal rights groups have also voiced opposition. Following discussions of additional panda loans between South Korea and China earlier this year, a Korean animal rights organization condemned the practice, stating that the animals are “not beings born for human entertainment or interstate friendship.” Survey data from the Chicago Council on Global Affairs indicates that 63% of MAGA Republicans favor limiting Chinese power, highlighting deep reservations within a key political demographic.
Yu Tao, an associate professor of Chinese Studies at the University of Western Australia, emphasized that affection for pandas does not automatically translate into support for Chinese government policies. Instead, he suggested the diplomacy’s realistic contribution is sustaining public goodwill and preserving opportunities for cooperation in relationships otherwise defined by disputes. As Chong noted, while the symbolism may have had more traction in the information-limited environment of the 1970s, its power today is significantly diminished.
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