US President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, who dressed as a giant panda, hosted trick-or-treaters on the White House South Lawn for the last time on Wednesday.

Earlier this year, the first lady participated in the Washington National Zoo's announcement that pandas would be returning to Washington. They arrived in the nation's capital two weeks ago, and Jill Biden donned the panda suit on Wednesday as a "welcoming gesture", the White House said.

In a video posted on May 29 to announce the expected arrival of the panda pair "later this year", the first lady enthusiastically clutched a toy panda that someone threw to her, and exclaimed: "We can't wait to celebrate this historic moment here in our nation's capital. ... It's official. The pandas are coming back to DC." She even joked about preparing for the two special guests at the White House.

AP - China Daily