China believes that the new round of cooperation with the United States on giant panda conservation will contribute to global biodiversity and friendship between the two peoples, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry has said.

A new pair of giant pandas from China, male Ping Ping and female Fu Shuang, are being sent to Zoo Atlanta in the US under a 10-year international conservation cooperation agreement.

Giant pandas are not only a national treasure of China, they also serve as envoys and bridges for global friendship, Guo Jiakun told a news conference on Friday.

He added that the new round of cooperation will contribute to the health and wellbeing of giant pandas and increase international capacity for protecting giant pandas and other endangered species.