Chinese President Xi Jinping announced Thursday that two giant pandas will arrive at Zoo Atlanta within days, adding a symbolic gesture to his high-level meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House.

Two giant pandas are headed back to Atlanta after Chinese President Xi Jinping announced their imminent arrival during his White House meeting with President Donald Trump.

Xi said the pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, would come to their new home at Zoo Atlanta “in a few days.” He described the animals as an “envoy of friendship” between the Chinese and American people.

The announcement comes as Trump and Xi meet for high-level talks, giving the panda transfer added diplomatic significance. China has used giant pandas for decades as a symbol of its relationship with other countries, a practice commonly known as “panda diplomacy.”

Ping Ping, a male, and Fu Shuang, a female, were both born at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Their arrival is part of a new conservation agreement between Zoo Atlanta and the China Wildlife Conservation Association announced in April.

The return will restore pandas to Zoo Atlanta after its previous four animals, Lun Lun, Yang Yang and their two youngest offspring, left for China in October 2024 when the zoo’s previous agreement expired. The earlier partnership lasted 25 years and produced seven panda cubs.

Zoo Atlanta has been preparing for the new arrivals, including upgrades to the panda habitat with technical guidance from Chinese experts. The zoo has not yet announced the exact arrival date.

The latest agreement also expands conservation cooperation between the zoo and Chinese authorities. Zoo Atlanta said the partnership will support giant panda conservation and allow the institution to resume its work with the species after the 2024 departure.

For Atlanta, the announcement means the return of one of the zoo’s most recognizable attractions. For Beijing and Washington, the pandas provide a highly visible symbol of cooperation at a time when the two countries are conducting high-level diplomatic talks.