In any sober analysis of the Sino-Australian game of diplomacy, the promise of two new replacement pandas easily trumps the whelps of a frustrated wolverine. These past days have seen the important continued stabilisation of the Australia-China relationship with the visit of China's Premier Li Qiang, the first in 7 years. During the course of this four-day high-level delegation, Prime Minister Albanese greeted Premier Li in front of a 19-gun salute, a military guard of honour and an official luncheon in Parliament House, Canberra.
Officials from both sides signed memoranda of understanding in such diverse areas as education and research, climate change, and areas concerning the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement. Furthermore, while the Adelaide Zoo will return Wang Wang and Fu Ni — the two popular giant pandas it has cared for during a fifteen year lease — Premier Li promised that 'we will provide a new pair of equally beautiful, lovely and adorable pandas to the Adelaide Zoo.' Not all nations that have panda lease arrangements are treated as favourably, as the pandas are key indicators of the state of the relationship between the countries.
For instance, as the relationship between the US and China deteriorated after President Obama's announcement of the 'Pacific Pivot' in 2011, leases with US zoos were not renewed. The subsequent decade saw the return to China of giant pandas from San Diego Zoo, Memphis Zoo and National Zoo, although there has been a recent offer of p.