Panda Diplomacy Shows Thawing US-China Ties as Xi and Trump Meet

5 articles, oldest first.

1. Axios

   Trump and Xi's summit revives panda diplomacy ↗ (opens Axios)

   Published Sep 24, 2026

   Axios's feed description

   Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday during a visit with President Trump that China will send two pandas to Zoo Atlanta , calling them an "envoy of friendship." Why it matters: The fuzzy ambassadors have long been one of China's most beloved tools of soft power and could signal an attempt to c…

2. Semafor

   Trump and Xi conclude Washington visit that was short on substance ↗ (opens Semafor)

   Published Sep 25, 2026

   Semafor's feed description

   The pair made minor concessions on trade, Beijing pledged more student visas, and Xi said two pandas would soon arrive at a zoo in Atlanta.

3. Bloomberg

   Panda Diplomacy Shows Thawing US-China Ties as Xi and Trump Meet ↗ (opens Bloomberg)

   Published Sep 25, 2026

   Bloomberg's feed description

   Panda diplomacy warms up as Presidents Trump and Xi stabilize their competitive relationship

4. The Hill

   Senate Republican suggests Trump should take Xi to Panda Express ↗ (opens The Hill)

   Published Sep 25, 2026

   The Hill's feed description

   Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) said Thursday he would like to see President Trump take Chinese leader Xi Jinping to Panda Express during the Chinese leader’s state visit to Washington. “I won’t be a bit surprised if he decides at one point to say, ‘President Xi, let’s go visit Panda Express and see what you…

5. The Diplomat

   Trump-Xi Meet Again: A Summit Without Substance? ↗ (opens The Diplomat)

   Published Sep 25, 2026

   The Diplomat's feed description

   The visit's outcomes are thin: a small extension of the trade truce and two pandas.