Meixiang and Xiao Qi Ji enjoy their special treat for "Pandaversary", a frozen fruit cake, at National Zoo in Washington, on April 16, 2022. (YIFAN XU/CHINA DAILY)

People gathered at the US National Zoo in the nation's capital on Saturday to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the first pandas in the United States from China.

The weekend was a full schedule of celebrations and "Pandaversary", the main event of a six-month series of events arranged by the zoo, known officially as the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.

Ling Ling and Hsing Hsing arrived at the National Zoo on April 16, 50 years ago. Now Meixiang, Tian Tian and their youngest cub, Xiao Qi Ji, are in the zoo

Ling Ling and Hsing Hsing arrived at the National Zoo on April 16, 50 years ago. Now Meixiang, Tian Tian and their youngest cub, Xiao Qi Ji, are in the zoo. Their other cubs, Tai Shan, Bao Bao and Bei Bei, were returned to China.

China Ambassador Qin Gang and Brandie Smith, director of the National Zoo, delivered remarks Saturday morning, kicking off the "Pandaversary".

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Qin said that the arrival of the pandas was one of the most important outcomes of President Richard Nixon's historic visit to China in 1972. The fifty-year cooperation on panda conservation between the US and China "achieved a lot", and the panda is no longer an endangered species., he said. Qin thanked the zoo for making Washington a wonderful home for pandas.

"Pandas are the symbol of friendships. And the successful story of panda conservation is a very good example of China and the United States, that we could cooperate to work together, not only in the area of panda conservation, but we can achieve more in other areas to benefit our two peoples and the peoples of the world," he said.

Qin Gang, China's ambassador to the US, speaks at the celebration marking the 50th anniversary of pandas' arrival at the National Zoo in Washington. (YIFAN XU / CHINA DAILY)

"So I wish pandas live a happy life forever in DC, and we are looking forward to more cooperation," Qin added.

Smith said that China and the United States have maintained good communications in their giant panda conservation efforts over the years and worked together to save the endangered species. She noted that giant pandas are the best proof that the two countries can work closely together, and they are the messengers of friendship connecting the two peoples.

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Smith also expressed her expectation for the future of the US-China cooperation program on pandas.

"The panda is not endangered, but there still are not enough pandas on the planet. We still need more pandas; we still need to look at continuing to save the habitat. And for our program, what we want to do is continue to work with our colleagues in China to work on understanding pandas in the wild and on preserving their habitat, but also work on our plan is to understand more about them as a species," Smith told China Daily.

After the speeches, Smith and Qin entered the panda pavilion, placed some bamboo on a special treat for the pandas – a frozen fruit cake, with the number "50" on it.

The panda mother and son, Mei Xiang and Xiao Qi Ji, came out of their house. Mei Xiang walked steadily toward the cake while Xiao Qi Ji was playing around her. Later they ate the cake and Xiao Qi Ji rolled with the cake, leading to laughs and cheers from the crowd.

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People who were lined up to see the pandas expressed love for pandas and their appreciation for the US-China panda program.

"This is my favorite animal, and I have loved them since I was a kid," said Dante, 23, who came from New Jersey and was surprised to arrive just in time for "Pandaversary". He said he was planning to find a panda shirt in the gift shop.

Helen Gonzales called panda lovers like her, who live not far and come to the zoo at least once a week to visit the pandas, the "regulars". She still remembered how the eyes of Tai Shan, the first cub born at the National Zoo, sparkled. She even went to China to revisit Tai Shan in 2011.

"It was wonderful to see him and to see how much the keeper loved him and to know that people love them over there too, which we knew in theory, but to be able to see it," Gonzales said, adding that "I miss them (the cubs) all".

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"It's just wonderful to see the cooperation between China and the United States in terms of making sure that the pandas aren't going to be extinct," she told China Daily.

Ashley Clarke, a 35-year-old school counselor, came to the zoo from Philadelphia with her family to celebrate her daughter's 12th birthday. Clarke told China Daily she was too excited and cried last year when she saw pandas for the first time, and now her daughter is also a big panda fan.

"We just owe China a debt of gratitude for creating this program and partnering with the US. Everyone is so interested in the conservation effort and and wants to be part of it, and they remember as a kid growing up hearing all were in danger," said Clarke.

There were special events and exhibits at the zoo for ``Pandaversay", including the China embassy serving panda-shaped buns to visitors, lion and gin dances and the debut of a new documentary, The Miracle Panda, telling stories behind the birth of Xiao Qi Ji. It is being shown at the zoo's Visitor Center Theater for a limited time.

Nacressa J Swan, the producer of documentary The Miracle Panda, takes a photo with her calligraphy work and the China Daily special edition on pandas. (YIFAN XU/CHINA DAILY)

The documentary's producer, Nacressa Swan, told China Daily that it was "a privilege and a pleasure" to make the film about how the US and China have been working together for such a long time.

"I think the most impressive thing to me is that the collaboration was really strong between China and America when they have something in common. That is so important, like saving the giant panda. Our countries work together very well," said Swan.

"Also, two years ago, when Xiao Qi Ji was born, we were in the middle of a horrendous pandemic lockdown all over the world, and he brought so much joy and so much happiness to people around the world when he was born. So I think it just helps bring our countries together; science and collaboration mean that we can save this wonderful species and make the world a better place."