China will send two giant pandas to Zoo Atlanta in the coming days, Chinese President Xi Jinping said.

Axar.az reports, citing CNN, that Xi described the giant panda as a historic “envoy of friendship” between China and the United States during his remarks at the White House.

The pandas, named Ping Ping and Fu Shuang, are expected to arrive at the Atlanta zoo soon. Fu Shuang means “double blessing,” while Ping Ping translates as “peace peace,” according to Chinese media.

China’s panda diplomacy with the United States began in 1972 following then-President Richard Nixon’s visit to China, when Beijing sent two giant pandas to the US as a symbol of improving bilateral relations.

Under agreements between China and US zoos, Beijing retains ownership of the pandas and their offspring, while the zoos make payments to support giant panda conservation in China.