New Delhi, Sept. 25 -- China's most famous diplomatic envoys have four legs, black-and-white fur and a remarkable ability to win over almost anyone.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has promised two giant pandas to Zoo Atlanta, bringing Beijing's decades-old tradition of "panda diplomacy" back into the spotlight as he begins his first state visit to the US in more than a decade.

The pandas, Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, are expected to arrive from a research base in Chengdu in the coming days. Their arrival will give Zoo Atlanta its first pandas since the last four were returned to China in November 2024.

But why does China send pandas abroad - and why does their arrival often make headlines far beyond the zoo?

Panda diplomacy is China's long-...