Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and Xiao Qi Ji will depart for China sooner than previously expected, the National Zoo said.

Here’s the latest on when the three Giant pandas will go back to China.

The National Zoo’s three giant pandas are set to return to China in December with no public signs the 50-year-old exchange agreement struck by President Richard Nixon will continue.

From Sept. 23 to Oct. 1 the National Zoo will host a farewell “Panda Palooza” before Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and 3-year-old Xiao Qi Ji head to China.

Crowds celebrated Xiao Qi Ji’s third birthday at the Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. But his third birthday party was bittersweet, because it’s the last birthday he’ll celebrate in D.C. before all three pandas return to China in December.

Smithsonian’s National Zoo Xiao Qi Ji celebrated his second birthday Sunday. News4’s Derrick Ward reports.

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo hosted a birthday party for giant panda cub Xiao Qi Ji’s second birthday on Sunday.

The “cake” was made from frozen fruit juice, sweet potatoes, carrots and sugar cane and it lasted about 15 minutes once giant panda mama Mei Xiang and her cub Xiao Qi Ji got hold of it

Xiao Qi Ji celebrated his first birthday Saturday with a specially made fruitsicle cake.

Xiao Qi Ji celebrated his first birthday Saturday with a specially tailored fruitsicle cake. Since his birth, the cub has captured hearts and had many first-time experiences, including sliding and tumbling around in snow and recognizing his name, which translates to “little miracle” in English.