John Lee vows to push to get pair of giant pandas in Hong Kong by National Day on October 1

Asked if there was any chance for the pair of rare animals to arrive in the city by the National day, Lee said he would surely push for that to happen.

Lee led the delegation to Sichuan on Sunday to discuss preparations for the transfer of two giant pandas gifted to the city by Beijing as a part of the 27th handover anniversary celebrations.

When asked if he had picked the bears yet, he said: “Many of them are very charming … Some looked strong while others looked elegant. They seemed to be enjoying their food.”

Lee earlier said he would also seek to understand during his visit the country’s latest progress in the field of giant panda conservation and research, pledging to bring the experience to Hong Kong to further enhance relevant work in the city.

The two new pandas, with age and sex to be announced, will be the third pair Beijing has given the city since 1999.

On Saturday, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yun-hung, who was also a part of the delegation, said the city government had expressed to Beijing its wishes to have baby giant pandas born locally.

Yeung also revealed the new pandas were expected to arrive in Hong Kong within three months after passing a month-long quarantine in Sichuan. But he did not give further details on the exact date of arrival.

The two animals would be added to the collection of Ocean Park in the Southern district where giant pandas Ying Ying and Le Le live.

Ying Ying and Le Le, who arrived in 2007, were the second pair of pandas Beijing gave to the city. The bears will celebrate their 19th birthday in August, equivalent to about 57 human years.

The first pair, male An An and female Jia Jia, arrived in the city in 1999 with the latter dying in October 2016. An An died six years later, aged 35.