It has been nearly 50 years since pandas first stepped foot on U.S soil. Now, that time has come to an end. Across the country, millions are devastated by this news and are seeking answers as to why suddenly China wants these beloved bears back. 

This year, both American and British zoos have seen their contracts with China expire. The panda’s were first loaned to the U.S in 1972 after Nixon secured relations with then leader Mao Zedong. Many have referred to this act as “panda diplomacy.” 

Historically, the Chinese government loans out a pair of pandas under a ten year contract that can be renewed. The annual cost ranges from around 1 million to 2 million per year. However, while these same contracts that allow U.S custody of the pandas have typically been renewed in advance of their termination date, this year marked a change. No action was taken by either Government to renew the contract. 

Unfortunately, most Zoos have already given up their pandas or plan to by the end of the year. This even includes the most popular zoos such as the ones located in Memphis, Atlanta, San Diego, and even the national zoo in Washington D.C.. Currently, the only pandas that remain in the U.S are located in Atlanta. However, these bears are also slated to be returned by the end of 2024. 

While the real reason remains unknown. Some have speculated as to why this may be, theorizing that this is a result of the heightened tensions between the U.S. and China. 

Currently, tensions between the U.S. and China are on the rise. One of the first noted causes of this is the American ban of the Chinese owned app, TikTok, on all government devices. TikTok is owned by a Chinese company called ByteDance. After it became popular, US intelligence began to worry about the implications this could have on national security. Since nearly 150 million Americans use the platform, their data is at risk of being accessed and shared with the Chinese government. This concern by officials brought about the ban which has now been in place since June 2023.

Another source of rising tensions comes with the American support of Taiwan as an independent country. Historically, since 1949 Taiwan has been an independent country. However, Beijing has continued to view Taiwan as under its jurisdiction, and recently has begun to ramp up military efforts to demonstrate this. On the American side, past presidents have taken an approach of promoting diplomacy and peace, carefully balancing the Chinese position with wanting to maintain allies. This changed after president Biden was elected as he promised to defend Taiwan and come to their defense if China were to attack. This, along with former speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan, has raised questions on whether or not a war is looming on the horizon. 

Finally, this seems to be the end of an era for both the American people and panda lovers, as panda diplomacy has come to a screeching halt. Many Americans wonder when these beloved bears will return, but ultimately the question that needs to be answered is why there is an issue in the first place. Will tensions continue to rise in the future? Further, is the end of Panda diplomacy simply an expired contract or the tip of a much deeper issue?