Giant pandas Meng Xiang (right) and Meng Yuan - known locally by their German names Pit and Paule - sit in their enclosure at Berlin Zoo in Germany on December 8, 2023. A farewell event was held for the giant panda twins at the zoo on Friday ahead of their scheduled return to China later this month. /CFP
Meng Xiang and Meng Yuan, the first giant pandas ever to be born in Germany, are scheduled to return to China later this month.
A farewell event was held on Friday at Berlin Zoo for the twin panda brothers, where a commemorative plaque to the duo was unveiled.
(From left to right) Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Berlin Zoo Frank Bruckmann, Governing Mayor of Berlin Kai Wegner, Chinese Ambassador to Germany Wu Ken, and Berlin Zoo Director Andreas Knieriem unveil a commemorative plaque to the pandas Meng Xiang and Meng Yuan during a farewell event for the pandas at Berlin Zoo in Germany on December 8, 2023. /CFP
Meng Xiang and Meng Yuan, who are also known locally by their German names Pit and Paule, were born at Berlin Zoo in 2019, two years after their parents, Jiao Qing and Meng Meng, arrived in Berlin.
Chinese Ambassador to Germany Wu Ken said the giant pandas had not only witnessed the growing friendship between China and Germany, but had also helped to continue and develop bilateral relations. Wu thanked Berlin Zoo for their efforts in protecting giant pandas, and encouraged German people to visit Meng Xiang and Meng Yuan in China.
A man in a panda costume waves during a farewell event for pandas Meng Xiang and Meng Yuan, also known by their German names Pit and Paule, at the Berlin Zoo in Germany on December 8, 2023. /CFP
Governing Mayor of Berlin Kai Wegner mentioned the joy the twin panda brothers had brought to the city's residents and visitors, adding that Berlin would always remain their home.
Crowds of panda lovers gathered at Berlin Zoo to say farewell to the twin panda brothers, including people who had traveled from Belgium and France.
Panda muffins are for sale during a farewell event for pandas Meng Xiang and Meng Yuan, also known by their German names Pit and Paule, at the Berlin Zoo in Germany on December 8, 2023. /CFP
According to an agreement on giant panda preservation and protection, giant pandas loaned by China to other countries still belong to China, and cubs born abroad should be returned to China to expand the gene pool.