Ya Ya the Panda's Return to China Sparks Nationalist Sentiment.
Ya Ya, a panda who arrived in the United States 20 years ago as a symbol of China's friendship with America, has returned home to China amid online nationalistic fervor and concerns about her care and condition at the Memphis Zoo. Despite the zoo's denials of mistreatment, some animal welfare groups have questioned her condition and blamed the zoo for the death of her mate. China has used pandas in the service of so-called panda diplomacy for decades, renting them out for $1 million a year. The controversy surrounding Ya Ya's return has mirrored the growing tensions between Washington and Beijing.
