With their shaggy orange manes, pale blue faces, and thick fur even on their hands and feet, China’s golden snub-nosed monkeys are unmistakable. These rare primates, found only in the icy mountains of central China, have now taken on a new role: international ambassadors. For the first time, these endangered monkeys have been sent to European zoos, joining China’s iconic pandas as furry envoys in a growing chapter of animal diplomacy.
The debut of golden snub-nosed monkeys abroad is more than just a zoological curiosity. It marks a new phase in China’s approach to soft power, echoing the now-familiar practice of "panda diplomacy," where beloved animals are loaned to foreign institutions to foster goodwill and scientific cooperation. According to the Associated Press, these golden monkeys are on a 10-year loan, coordinated by the same government body that oversees panda exchanges. The move signals not just a celebration of biodiversity, but a calculated gesture of international friendship and collaboration.
In April 2025, three golden snub-nosed monkeys arrived at France’s Beauval Zoo in Saint-Aignan. Their arrival was timed to commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France, a milestone that underscores the symbolic weight of the exchange. Just a month later, another trio landed at Pairi Daiza zoo in Brugelette, Belgium. On the day of their arrival, the Belgian zoo handed out Chinese and Belgian flags to visitors, highlighting the festive, cross-cultural spirit of the occasion, as reported by the Associated Press.
Before meeting the public, the monkeys underwent a month-long quarantine. Both zoos report that the animals are adapting well to their new environments, which is no small feat considering these are the first golden snub-nosed monkeys ever to live outside Asia. At Pairi Daiza, their enclosure is a slice of China itself: traditional gazebos with red columns and gray-tiled roofs, rope ladders, and logs provide plenty of climbing space. Visitors can watch Liu Yun, Lu Lu, and Juan Juan leap between rooftops and scramble across the elaborate playground, a scene that blends the architectural beauty of China with the monkeys’ natural agility.
But why golden snub-nosed monkeys, and why now? The answer is both cultural and strategic. As environmental historian Elena Songster explained to the Associated Press, both giant pandas and golden snub-nosed monkeys are endangered species unique to China, and their movement abroad requires central government approval. While pandas have long been symbols of modern China—thanks to their “cuddly cuteness” and diplomatic allure, as University of Missouri historian Susan Brownell put it—monkeys hold a special place in Chinese art and literature. The mischievous Monkey King from the 16th-century classic, "Journey to the West," is just one example of how deeply these animals are woven into the nation’s cultural fabric.
China’s history of animal diplomacy dates back decades. The first major gesture came in 1957, when two pandas, Ping Ping and Qi Qi, were sent to the Soviet Union to mark the 40th anniversary of the October Revolution. The practice gained further prominence in 1972, when a pair of pandas was sent to the United States following President Richard Nixon’s landmark visit to Beijing. By 1984, China shifted from gifting pandas to loaning them, typically for a decade at a time. This change, prompted by animal rights concerns, meant that zoos abroad now pay annual fees, part of which must be allocated to conservation or scientific research benefiting the species, according to the Associated Press.
The golden monkeys’ arrival in Europe follows this same model. Beauval Zoo’s communications director Anaïs Maury told the Associated Press that the institution is already in talks with Chinese authorities to launch joint research and conservation programs “similar to those already in place for other emblematic species like pandas.” The hope, echoed by Pairi Daiza spokesperson Johan Vreys, is that these exchanges will foster not only cultural understanding but also meaningful scientific collaboration that could benefit both species and habitats.
Of course, not everyone is celebrating. Some animal welfare advocates worry about the stress placed on individual animals by long-distance travel and the requirement that any offspring born abroad be sent back to China. As New York University bioethicist Jeff Sebo cautioned, “Animal health and welfare matters, not just for geopolitical or strategic aims.” These concerns are not new; similar debates have surrounded panda diplomacy for decades. The Associated Press notes that what benefits a species as a whole may not always be best for the individual animals involved.
Within China, however, conservation efforts have shown real promise. At Shennongjia National Park in Hubei province, the local population of golden snub-nosed monkeys has tripled since the 1980s, reaching about 1,600 today, according to Yang Jingyuan, president of the park’s Academy of Sciences. This success story is partly funded by the fees generated from international animal loans, which are earmarked for habitat conservation and scientific research.
The golden snub-nosed monkeys now residing in France and Belgium are, for the moment, the only ones of their kind outside Asia. Their novelty is part of their appeal—these animals are not yet globally iconic like pandas, but some experts believe they may be on their way. “China’s golden snub-nosed monkeys aren’t globally iconic yet,” Brownell said, “but there may be potential for them to be in the future.”
As the world grapples with rising geopolitical tensions, animal diplomacy offers a softer, more hopeful form of engagement. “I think pandas are a really useful entryway,” said James Carter, a China historian at Saint Joseph’s University. “Pandas open up an opportunity for people to think something positive about China—they’re cute, they don’t do anything bad.” Whether golden snub-nosed monkeys can match the pandas’ global charm remains to be seen, but their European debut is a bold step in that direction.
For now, visitors to Beauval Zoo and Pairi Daiza can witness these charismatic monkeys up close, leaping across Chinese-style rooftops and forging new bonds between East and West. Only time will tell if these furry envoys will become cultural icons in their own right, but their journey has already started a new conversation about conservation, diplomacy, and the surprising power of animal ambassadors.