The arrival of Ping Ping and Fu Shuang in Atlanta is the latest chapter in China's long-standing practice of 'panda diplomacy,' a tradition that began in 1972 when Chairman Mao Zedong gifted pandas to the United States after President Richard Nixon's historic visit. Since then, China has loaned giant pandas to various countries as symbols of goodwill, maintaining ownership and often recalling them based on diplomatic relations. This practice has been used to strengthen ties with nations like Indonesia, where a panda cub was born in 2025 as part of a conservation partnership, and to signal displeasure, as seen when Japan's last pandas were returned in early 2026 amid strained relations. The loans are typically governed by agreements that can last for years, and the pandas remain Chinese property throughout their stay abroad.

The tradition has evolved from outright gifts to loans, with contracts sometimes allowed to lapse when relations sour. For example, Japan's inability to secure an extension for its pandas highlighted China's discontent with the state of Japan-China relations. In the United States, panda loans have been a source of public fascination and a barometer of bilateral ties, with zoos like Zoo Atlanta hosting pandas for decades. The practice reflects China's use of its iconic animals as diplomatic instruments, intertwining wildlife conservation with international politics.