Finland will return two giant pandas to China in November, more than eight years ahead of time, as the zoo where they live can no longer afford their upkeep, the chair of the zoo's board told Reuters on Tuesday. The pandas, named Lumi and Pyry, were brought to Finland in January 2018, months after Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the Nordic country and signed a joint agreement on protecting the animals. Since its founding in 1949, the People's Republic of China has sent pandas to foreign zoos to strengthen trading ties, cement foreign relations and boost its international image.
The way I read it (specifically the Reuters link provided elsewhere), it’s the total cost of upkeep, not just any “rent” to China. The fact they’re on loan makes them an easy target for sending elsewhere to cut costs. Other animals might not have anywhere quite so easy to go back to.
That’s straight from the Reuters article. It mentions it includes a fee
My use of “rent” in quotes was not to imply that no payment was being made, but that “rent” isn’t quite the right word in that context.
Sorry for the confusion.