Giant pandas Huan Huan and Yuan Zi arrive at Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport on Wednesday. Photo: Screenshot from Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding's WeChat account

China-born giant pandas Huan Huan and Yuan Zi on Wednesday arrived safely in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan Province, after traveling on a chartered flight from France. They were then transferred to the quarantine facility at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, where they will undergo at least one month of quarantine and medical observation, according to an official release from the research base.

Huan Huan, a female panda born in August 2008, and Yuan Zi, a male panda born in September 2008, began their stay at Beauval Zoo in Saint-Aignan, France in January 2012, according to the zoo's website. 

To ensure a smooth and safe return, China dispatched experienced panda experts and veterinarians to France ahead of the transfer, according to a press release the center sent to the Global Times on Wednesday. They provided on-site care services for the giant pair, studied their living habits, conducted behavioral training, routine examinations and health assessments, and were accompanied by French veterinarians throughout their journey back to China. 

As an important platform for international cooperation on giant panda conservation, the China-French giant panda international breeding cooperation has facilitated extensive progress in scientific research, personnel training and technical exchange between the two countries. The two sides also organized panda-themed art exhibitions and public education programs, creating strong interest in pandas across France, encouraging public attention to wildlife conservation and strengthening mutual understanding and friendship. 

During their stay in France, the pair produced two litters with a total of three cubs. Huan Huan gave birth to Yuan Meng in August 2017. In August 2021, she delivered a pair of twins and whose names, Huan Lili and Yuan Dudu, were announced by Chinese Olympic champion Zhang Jiaqi and French footballer Kylian Mbappé at a ceremony held in November the same year. The names were chosen to incorporate cultural elements from both Paris and Chengdu.

More than 200 well-wishers braved a cold and rainy Sunday to say farewell to Huan Huan and Yuan Zi, including one couple dressed head-to-toe in panda-themed gear, who say they have visited the bears "more than 1,000 times" since their arrival in 2012, according to AFP. 

Patrice Colombel, an electronics technician, and his wife Veronique, an administrative assistant at a secondary school, told AFP they would not have missed the chance to see them off.

"They are the first pandas we have ever known. We wanted to be there to say goodbye to them," the couple told AFP.

The release from the panda base noted that the twin pandas Huan Lili and Yuan Dudu will remain in France until January 2027, when the current phase of the cooperation project concludes.