Two giant pandas, An An and Ke Ke, have arrived in Hong Kong, a gift from the Chinese government to mark the 75th anniversary of Communist Party rule, CNN reports.
The arrival of the five-year-old pandas, which landed at Hong Kong International Airport Thursday morning, was greeted with a grand welcome ceremony.
While fans will have to wait until December to catch a glimpse of the pair, their arrival has been met with much fanfare. The pandas will spend the next 30 days in quarantine and will then adapt to their new home at Ocean Park, where they join four other pandas.
An An, a 130-kilogram male, is known for his strength, agility, and intelligence, while Ke Ke, a 100-kilogram female, is known for her climbing skills, gentleness, and cuteness.
The pair’s arrival brings the total number of pandas in Hong Kong to six. Le Le and Ying Ying, who were gifted to the city in 2007, have also become a popular attraction. Ying Ying recently made headlines by giving birth to twins, making her the oldest known first-time panda mother.
This latest gift from China is seen as a symbolic gesture of goodwill and a testament to the strong relationship between Hong Kong and mainland China.
“This is a significant moment for Hong Kong,” said Chief Executive John Lee, “It marks a deepening of our ties with the mainland.”
The pandas’ arrival also comes at a time when Hong Kong authorities are actively promoting patriotism and strengthening ties with the mainland. The city is preparing for the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China on October 1st, and the arrival of An An and Ke Ke is seen as part of a wider campaign to instill national pride.
While the pandas themselves are not leaving China, their journey carries an undertone of “panda diplomacy.” Beijing regularly loans pandas to countries around the world, often seen as a barometer of diplomatic relations. However, the pandas gifted to Hong Kong will remain in the city permanently, a gesture that highlights the unique bond between the two regions.
Ocean Park Chairman Paulo Pong Kin-yee stressed the significance of this permanent gift, stating that the pandas, along with their future cubs, will remain in Hong Kong. This contrasts with the practice of loaning pandas to other countries, where they are typically returned at a certain age.
