Giant panda pair gifted by Beijing to meet HKers by year-end

The pair of giant pandas gifted to Hong Kong by Beijing are expected to arrive in the city before the end of September, with the pandas to greet the public at the earliest by year-end, said Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu.

Lee said on Tuesday that the pandas will have to go through a 30-day quarantine and acclimation period after arriving in Hong Kong, with their exact day of meeting the public pending experts’ advice.

As for the city’s newborn giant panda cubs given birth by Ying Ying at Ocean Park, Lee said no date has been set for the twins to meet the public but they might be ready in the first quarter of next year.