Panda Diplomacy: An An and Ke Ke's Arrival in Hong Kong

Pandas An An and Ke Ke arrived in Hong Kong, generating excitement. Officials welcomed them with a ceremony, and the pair will be kept at Ocean Park. Plans are underway to name them through a public contest. Their arrival boosts the panda population to six in the region.

Hong Kong welcomed a special arrival on Thursday as pandas An An and Ke Ke, gifts from Beijing, touched down at the city's international airport to much fanfare. Officials greeted the pair with a red-carpet ceremony and panda toys.

The Sichuan-born male and female pandas will take the city's total panda count to six, marking an all-time high. Some lawmakers are urging the government to leverage the arrival to boost tourism and foster a 'panda economy' with themed attractions and infrastructure. The five-year-old pandas will be housed at Ocean Park and remain off-limits to the public until December to acclimatize to their new home.

Hong Kong leader John Lee announced a public contest to name the pandas. Ocean Park staff have prepared a carefully-designed enclosure for An An and Ke Ke, featuring bamboo leaves sourced from Guangdong province.

Their arrival coincides with another joyous event at Ocean Park, as resident giant panda Ying Ying recently gave birth to twin cubs just before her 19th birthday, becoming the oldest recorded panda to give birth for the first time. The cubs are currently under intensive care and are expected to debut to the public in a few months.

(With inputs from agencies.)