Bears to to return to US this summer in sign of warming ties with China

A deal was signed between San Diego Zoo and China's Wildlife Conservation Association in February 2024 that paved the way for Chinese giant pandas to return to the US by the end of the summer. But this is far more than just a deal between two zoos. It suggests a warming of relations between the US and China, and a bid by China to help repair its struggling economy. For decades, China has used panda diplomacy, where Beijing gave or loaned its pandas as a sign of friendship or to strengthen national ties, to establish a good long-term relationship with…