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Trump Xi meeting in Washington fails to ease China-US tensions
Xi’s visit was followed by two China goodwill envoys, giant pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, arriving in the US for a stay at Atlanta Zoo.
The Guardian said Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s Washington visit did not move the broader stalemate in relations with the US, even though Xi and President Donald Trump met this week.
The editorial also pointed to symbolism and messaging around the trip, noting that two Chinese visitors described as envoys of friendship, giant pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, are set to be hosted at Atlanta Zoo.
It added that Beijing dispatched the first panda pair to the US in 1972 following President Richard Nixon’s visit to China, and that the pandas are often used to signal satisfaction or displeasure with other nations.
The piece further said panda leasing can be costly, citing a reported figure of about $1 million per pair per year, before describing how Americans’ views of China have been shaped by the larger relationship.