This panda was one of two, Ling Ling and Hsing Hsing, that were given to the United States by the Chinese government following President Richard Nixon’s historic visit to China in February 1972. Nixon’s trip opened diplomatic and trade relations between the two countries and was one of the most successful achievements of his administration.
On April 16, 1972, First Lady Pat Nixon officially accepted the gift of the People’s Republic of China and declared, “I think ‘panda-monium’ is going to break out at the zoo.” Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing were the top attractions at the zoo until their deaths in the 1990s. China also received goodwill ambassadors. The United States gave China a pair of musk oxen, named Milton and Matilda, from the San Francisco zoo in exchange.
