Pandas gifted to Hong Kong by Beijing to meet the public on December 8
City leader also says the two bears’ new names will be revealed a day ahead of their debut
A pair of pandas gifted to Hong Kong by Beijing will officially meet the public on December 8, with their new names set to be revealed a day before their debut.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu took to social media on Wednesday to make the announcement, saying the bears had spent the last two months adapting to their new home at Ocean Park.
“I am pleased to announce that the government and Ocean Park will hold a ‘Panda Debut Ceremony’ on December 7 this year, and the pandas will officially meet the public the following day, December 8,” Lee said.
The two new adult bears, known as An An and Ke Ke for now, were gifted to the city by Beijing to mark the 27th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese sovereignty. They arrived in the city from Sichuan province on September 26.
Authorities earlier said the bears would need to undergo a month-long quarantine with at least another month to adapt to their new environment.
Lee also said he and his wife had recently visited the pandas along with Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yun-hung, and described An An and Ke Ke as being “energetic and lively”.
