Panda surprise

Eunice Lam

Another pair of giant pandas will arrive in the SAR within a few months, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said.

In a reception celebrating the 27th anniversary of the handover, Lee expressed gratitude for Beijing's care and support in considering his proposal and deciding to gift the SAR the giant pandas.

"On this festive day, I have more good news. Hong Kong will soon welcome two new family members: a pair of giant pandas," he said.

"We will start the preparations immediately to receive the giant pandas. They will arrive in Hong Kong in a few months and bring us amusement and happiness."

The administration has been liaising with the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration to discuss arrangements, a spokesman said, with details to be announced in due course.

Preparatory work to ensure Ocean Park is fully geared up to take care of the giant pandas will proceed immediately.

Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yun-hung said that the administration has already started preparatory work, and expressed confidence that Ocean Park will take good care of its next star attractions.

Ocean Park chairman Paulo Pong Kin-yee thanked the central and SAR governments for placing their trust in the theme park and said it looks forward to collaborating with the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau in preparations.

"The arrival of the new giant pandas will not only enhance Hong Kong's tourism appeal but also expand the breadth and depth of Ocean Park's conservation and education work," he said.

Former Ocean Park chairman Allan Zeman said the giant pandas will be in good hands as the theme park has extensive experience in taking care of pandas.

For him, Beijing gave the giant pandas to celebrate the anniversary, which shows it attaches great importance to the SAR.

"I think that's a good demonstration that China still favors Hong Kong very much that's a really good sign," Zeman said.

Maria Tam Wai-chu, former deputy director of the Hong Kong Basic Law Committee, said the pandas were "national gifts" that showed China's emphasis on Hong Kong's tourism.

Tourism Board chairman Pang Yiu-kai expressed gratitude, saying visiting giant pandas is a "must-do experience" for mainland and overseas tourists.

The SAR saw the first pair of giant pandas - male panda An An with and female Jia Jia - arrive in March 1999. Jia Jia died in 2016 at the age of 38, and An An passed away in 2022 at the age of 35.

On the 10th anniversary of the handover, Beijing sent the second pair - Ying Ying and Le Le.

At Ocean Park yesterday, visitors were eagerly awaiting the arrival of two more giant pandas.

A woman, Kwok, said: "I am very much looking forward to it, and I hope the new pandas can help Hong Kong's economy, as the 'panda economy' is rising in the mainland."

Some visitors, including a Mr Chung, said more pandas meant a higher chance of seeing them. "I had only seen one of the pandas before, as they do not walk out often and would even hide from us visitors."