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Two giant pandas departed China for a zoo in the US capital on Monday (Oct 14), a Chinese conservation group said in a statement. Bao Li, a male panda, and female Qing Bao, both three years old, were headed to the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington under a decade-long breeding and research agreement. "China and the United States have made orderly arrangements ... to ensure that the two giant pandas will arrive at the Washington National Zoo safely and smoothly," the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA) said in a statement. Only a few of the beloved black-and-white bears remain in...

Obama, Hu toast 'strategic mutual trust' at state dinnerBy Christina Wilkie - 01/19/11 10:30 PM ET President Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao toasted U.S. and Chinese collaboration and mutual interests on Wednesday night at a festive state dinner for 225 guests at the White House. Their toasts marked the high point of an evening notable for its strict adherence to the protocol and symbolism valued in Chinese culture, but which, at the same time, managed to fulfill the Chinese delegation's request for a thoroughly American dinner party. Guests dined on a meal of pear salad, lobster, ribeye steak and...