Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping visited the zoo and talked about arm treaties in Moscow (Politico)

Xi Jinping & Vladimir Putin: Panda Diplomacy Between the ‘Two Best Friends’

Amid the increasing tense of the trade war between China and the US as well as Russia’s ties with the West lows at post-Cold War, the two powers are becoming closer. As Beijing and Moscow show eagerness to strengthen ties through ‘panda diplomacy’.

Met on Wednesday (6/5), the Chinese President Xi Jinping presented two pandas at a Moscow’s Zoo ceremony with Vladimir Putin, as a sign of respect and deepening trust between the two countries. The pandas—Ru Yi and Ding Ding—were given at the end of April when Putin visited Beijing but only unraveled to Russian public yesterday. They are loaned to Moscow as part of joint research for 15 years.

Xi said that Panda is a national symbol of China that value as a symbol of friendship between China and Russia, as he called Putin ‘best friend’ and ‘good colleague’ to him.

Standing along Xi, Putin greatly thanked China for entrusting the animals to Russia. He added that when everyone sees pandas, they always put a smile on people’s faces. Therefore, Moscow will accept the gift with gratitude and great respect.

Xi Jinping will have his three-day visit in Russia to attend the country’s flagship economic forum later this week in St. Petersburg. During talks in Moscow, the two leaders have promised to strengthen military-technical cooperation while businesses of the two nations signed an array of deals.

Source: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/world/china-s-panda-diplomacy-puts-a-smile-on--best-friend--putin-s-face-11600326#cxrecs_s