New Giant Pandas Donated to Hong Kong

HONG KONG (ANN/THE CHINA DAILY) – Hong Kong is preparing to receive two giant pandas from China, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu announced Monday morning at a reception to mark the special administrative region’s 27th anniversary.

A spokesperson for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government confirmed that preparations for their arrival have begun, although no specific date has been given.

Lee said the following at a packed Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre: “I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the central government for donating another pair of giant pandas to the HKSAR, which is a clear demonstration of its care and support for our city.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, which makes this gift even more special.”

In his speech, Lee also thanked the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council and the National Forest and Grassland Administration for their assistance.

The CE told how two pairs of giant pandas, previously donated by the central government, had carved out a place in the collective memory of generations of Hong Kongers who loved them.

In 2022, Hong Kong went into mourning when the world’s oldest male panda died in captivity at Ocean Park Zoo. Born in the wild in Sichuan, An An was donated to Hong Kong by the central government along with his female partner Jia Jia in 1999. An An was euthanized at the age of 35, equivalent to a human living to 105.

There are two more pandas in Ocean Park Zoo, Ying Ying and Le Le, also a gift from the central government.