The panda cub Bei Bei, born at Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington D.C., will start receiving visitors for the first time Jan. 16, 2016.

In a sneak peak, the Chinese ambassador to the United States, Cui Tiankai, paid an early visit to China’s newest cultural diplomat.

“Pandas bring people from China and the U.S. closer. They also promote the joint efforts of China and the U.S. to protect wild animals. They are actually ‘Panda Ambassadors’,” Cui said.

Bei Bei to appear January in public at Washington’s National Zoo

Nearly three months after the birth of the little black and white baby, the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. says Bei Bei the panda will make his first public appearance on Jan. 16.