(单词翻译:单击)
The pandas are native to China with an estimated 1800 left in the wild. That's according to the World Wildlife Fund.
大熊猫原产于中国，目前野生大熊猫的数量约为1800只。这是来自世界野生动物基金会的数据。
They're also China's national animal.
大熊猫也是中国的国宝。
Giant pandas live off of bamboo and they can eat more than 80 pounds of the plant every day.
大熊猫以竹子为食，它们每天可以吃掉重达80多磅的竹子。
And they're not called giant pandas for nothing.
它们并不是无缘无故的就被称为大熊猫的。
A male can weigh up to 300 pounds. That's an offensive lineman in the NFL.
雄性大熊猫的体重可达300磅。那可是美国橄榄球联盟的进攻线卫的体重。
So what makes these three bears so special?
那是什么让这三只熊猫如此特别呢?
Well, China loaned them to the National Zoo as part of a program that dates back more than 50 years.
作为可追溯至50多年前的一个项目的一部分，中国把这三只大熊猫租借给美国国家动物园。
But next week, this family, mom, and dad and their cub will return home.
但下周，这个大熊猫家庭中的妈妈、爸爸以及它们的幼崽将回国。
And it's unclear whether China will send new bears.
目前还不清楚中国是否会送出新的大熊猫。
CNN correspondent David Culver explains why this is significant in the big picture of what's come to be known as panda diplomacy.
CNN记者大卫·卡尔弗解释了为什么这在被称为熊猫外交的大背景下意义重大。
For weeks, visitors at the National Zoo in Washington have stopped by to say goodbye.
几个星期以来，华盛顿国家动物园的游客们都来到这里驻足，向它们道别。
The zoo's three giant pandas now headed to China.
这家动物园的三只大熊猫现在前往中国。
Zoo staff call this a hiatus in their five decade wildly popular panda program.
动物园工作人员称这是他们50年来广受欢迎的熊猫项目的一次中断。
Chinese officials have yet to say if it will continue.
中国官员尚未说明是否会继续熊猫项目。
You might wonder why this even matters?
你可能想知道为什么这很重要？
There are, of course, far more pressing issues between the U.S. and China.
当然，中美之间还有着更为紧迫的问题。
But as we look deeper, tracking where pandas are leaving and where they're going, you get a better sense of the new world order.
但当我们深入观察，追踪熊猫离开和抵达的地方，就会对这个新的世界秩序有更好的理解。
China's hoping to craft these cuddly creatures used for China's major diplomatic needs, especially in places where it hopes to gain.
中国希望利用这些可爱的动物，用于满足中国的主要外交需求，特别是在希望获得熊猫的地方。
But China says its focus is on conservation and research.
不过，中国称其重点是保护和研究。
President Nixon's visit to our country --
尼克松总统对我国进行访问——
Beijing's panda diplomacy with Washington, as it's called, kicked off in 1972.
被称为北京与华盛顿的熊猫外交始于1972年。
Following President Nixon's historic visit to China, China gifted two pandas to the U.S. in a sign of warming, bilateral ties after decades of diplomatic deep freeze.
在尼克松总统对中国进行历史性访问之后，中国向美国赠送了两只大熊猫，标志着中美两国关系在经历了数十年的外交冰冻期后开始回暖。
First Lady Pat Nixon welcome the pandas to Washington.
第一夫人帕特·尼克松欢迎熊猫来到华盛顿。
They will be enjoyed by the millions of people who come from across the country.
这些大熊猫将会受到来自全美各地的数百万人的喜爱。
Seen their popularity rise amongst Americans, China sent more pandas to other zoos across the U.S., eventually loaning instead of gifting them.
看到大熊猫在美国人中越来越受欢迎，中国向美国各地的其他动物园送出了更多的大熊猫，最终是以租借形式而非赠送形式。
The 2011 agreement between China and the National Zoo stipulates ownership of the pandas and any offspring belonged to China.
2011年中国与美国国家动物园达成的协议规定，大熊猫及其后代的所有权属于中国。
The contract also requires payment to China of $500,000 each year for the conservation of giant pandas in China.
这项合同还要求每年向中国支付50万美元，用于保护中国的大熊猫。
