Giant panda pair gifted to Hong Kong keep birth names

HONG KONG -- Two giant pandas gifted by the central government to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) were officially named "An An" and "Ke Ke", the same with their birth names, Ocean Park Hong Kong said on Saturday.

The names were chosen from over 22,600 proposals the amusement park had received during a citywide naming campaign launched by the HKSAR government in October.

The character "An" means peace in Chinese and "Ke" connotes limitless possibilities. Together the two characters form "encore", which can be interpreted as unending good fortune for Hong Kong, said the park.

The pair will make their public debut on Sunday, having undergone quarantine and adapted to the new environment since they relocated from southwest China's Sichuan province on Sept 26.

At a greeting ceremony for the giant pandas held on Saturday, Chief Executive of the HKSAR John Lee thanked caretakers from the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda and the park for helping the pandas settle in Hong Kong.

He said the HKSAR government will continue to host giant panda-themed activities for residents and visitors.