Hong Kong has welcomed two new giant pandas, An An and Ke Ke, from Beijing in a grand ceremony aimed at boosting tourism in the city. The arrival of the pandas raises the number of pandas in Hong Kong to six, including the twins and their father, Le Le.
Hong Kong has welcomed a new pair of giant pandas, An An and Ke Ke, gifted by Beijing in a grand ceremony on Thursday. The pandas are the third pair of giant pandas to be sent to the city from mainland China since the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
An An is a 5-year-old male panda, while Ke Ke is a 5-year-old female. Chief Executive John Lee described An An as agile, intelligent, and active, while Ke Ke is good at climbing, cute, and has a gentle temperament.
Hong Kong Welcomes New Giant Panda Pair to Boost Tourism
The new arrivals will undergo two months of quarantine and adapt to their new home at Ocean Park, a zoo and aquarium that has long been a favorite of residents and tourists. Lee expressed hope that the public could meet the new bears in mid-December.
In October, the government will invite residents to propose new names that showcase the pandas' characteristics.
Hong Kong Welcomes New Giant Panda Pair to Boost Tourism
Tourism industry representatives are optimistic about the potential impact of housing six pandas, hoping it will boost visitor numbers in Hong Kong. Officials have encouraged businesses to capitalize on the popularity of the new bears and newborn cubs to seize opportunities in what some lawmakers have dubbed the "panda economy."
Pandas are widely considered China's unofficial national mascot. The country's giant panda loan program with overseas zoos has long been seen as a tool of Beijing's soft-power diplomacy. Giant pandas are only found in China's southwest, and their population is under threat from development.
Hong Kong Welcomes New Giant Panda Pair to Boost Tourism
However, caring for pandas in captivity is expensive. A zoo in Finland agreed with Chinese authorities to return two loaned giant pandas to China more than eight years ahead of schedule because they were too costly for the facility to maintain amid declining visitors.
Hong Kong's Ocean Park has been hosting pandas since 1999 when the first pair, An An and Jia Jia, arrived in the financial hub shortly after it was handed back to China.
Hong Kong Welcomes New Giant Panda Pair to Boost Tourism
Jia Jia, who died at 38 in 2016, is the world's oldest-ever panda to have lived in captivity. The average lifespan for a panda in the wild is 18 to 20 years, while in captivity, it's 30 years, according to the Guinness World Records.
