U.S.-born pandas arrive in China
<p>File- In this Aug. 27, 2007 file photo, Mei Lan, the only giant panda cub to be born in a U. S. zoo in 2006 is shown at Zoo Atlanta in Atlanta, Ga. Chinese zookeepers are advertising for a tutor to teach Chinese to the American-born giant panda arriving this week in her parents' homeland. The language lessons, a special diet and even blind dates are also part of the red-carpet welcome being rolled out for 3-year-old Mei Lan, or Beautiful Orchid, by Chinese caretakers ahead of her arrival Friday, Feb. 5, 2010. (AP Photo/Gene Blythe, File)</p>
CHENGDU, China (AP) - Two American-born pandas arrived in their new China home early today, bringing a welcome dose of cuddly to the countries' currently strained relations.
Special crates carrying Mei Lan, Tai Shan and armloads of bamboo were eased from a cargo jet and onto the tarmac in southwestern China, the start of a breeding mission in efforts to keep the well-loved but endangered species going.
Immediately, the giant pandas faced just what they'd left in the United States - live TV coverage and a passionate crowd.
"On the way over they were both OK. Mei Lan was a little nervous, but basically they were both OK," said a tearful Nicole Meese, Tai Shan's longtime keeper at the National Zoo.
"Both pandas have become endearing goodwill ambassadors for China in the United States," said David Brown, U.S. consul general in Chengdu.
Millions of people fell in love with 3-year-old Mei Lan from Zoo Atlanta and Tai Shan, a 4 1/2-year-old born in Washington, watching them grow up at the zoos and via online panda cams.
They were always destined to return to China, under an agreement that says the country retains ownership of adult pandas and any offspring.
China quickly picked up on the excitement Friday, with China Central Television reporters intently showing off flow charts of the pandas' journey and hundreds of people crowding a welcome ceremony outside the airport. Officials from the U.S. zoos handed over the pandas' files to Chinese officials.
China has long used pandas as a friendly gesture in diplomacy, and their safe transfer from the United States gave diplomats a rare moment of harmony while so many other areas of bilateral relations are on shaky ground.
In the space of a week, the United States has touched on two of China's most sensitive issues, announcing planned arms sales to Taiwan and on Thursday confirming that President Barack Obama will meet with the Dalai Lama when the Tibetan spiritual leader visits Washington this month.
"Maybe the pandas could have stayed a bit longer to become a kind of offset for the areas of China-US relations that are lacking in emotional elements," said Zhu Feng, a professor of international relations at Peking University in Beijing.
He called the panda diplomacy "win-win" and pointed out that China extended Tai Shan's stay in the U.S. by 2.5 years.