These nine nations included the Soviet Union, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (what would later be known as North Korea), the United States of America (due to President Nixon's visit), and the United Kingdom (due to Premier Edward Heath's visit).[1] This was when Mao Zedong was the Chinese communist chairman.[4] President Nixon went to China for a visit and Mao Zedong stated that they would send two pandas to a zoo found in America. In exchange for these pandas received by the Chinese, President Nixon returned the gift by gifting two musk oxen to the Chinese.