Atlanta, USA - Nov 6, 2026 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Various of opening ceremony of Arthur M. Blank Panda Grove in progress; press; attendees
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Xie Feng, Chinese Ambassador to United States:
"The names of the new pair of pandas carry our warmest wishes to the American people and also for China-U.S. relations."
3. Various of cultural activities in progress

Atlanta, USA - Nov 6, 2026 (CGTN - No access Chinese mainland)
4. Sign of Arthur M. Blank Panda Grove
5. Various of giant pandas eating bamboo; resting

Zoo Atlanta in the U.S. state of Georgia held a ceremony on Friday to mark the opening of its giant panda exhibit, following the public debut of pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang at the zoo.

Nearly 100 guests from China and the United States attended the opening ceremony of the giant panda pavilion, known as the Arthur M. Blank Panda Grove.

Chinese Ambassador to the United States Xie Feng, former Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue, and Atlanta Chief Operating Officer LaChandra Burks attended the ceremony and delivered remarks.

In his remarks, Xie said the pandas' names -- Ping Ping, meaning peace, and Fu Shuang, meaning double blessing, convey the Chinese people's kind wishes for the American people.

"The names of the new pair of pandas carry our warmest wishes to the American people and also for China-U.S. relations," Xie said.

At the event, the Chinese Embassy in the United States offered guests Chinese cultural experiences such as calligraphy, rubbing, and trivia quizzes.

Ping Ping and Fu Shuang also made their public debut on Friday.

Before meeting the public, the panda pair spent more than a month in quarantine, adjusting to the new bamboo, new caretakers and new environment.

They arrived in the southern U.S. city on a chartered flight on September 27, marking the return of Chinese giant pandas after nearly two years. The last pair of giant pandas and their offspring returned to China from Zoo Atlanta in October 2024.

The new pandas are expected to stay here for 10 years.

China and Zoo Atlanta have collaborated on giant panda conservation research for more than two decades, including the birth of seven giant panda cubs in five litters.