Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun

China was delighted to see the pandas officially meet the American public, bringing more joy to the American people and bringing the hearts of the Chinese and American peoples closer together, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Tuesday when asked to comment on the recent opening ceremony for the giant panda exhibit at Zoo Atlanta in the US, where the giant pandas "Ping Ping" and "Fu Shuang" officially made their public debut.

Ping Ping and Fu Shuang made their first public appearance at Zoo Atlanta on Friday local time after more than a month of acclimation, drawing crowds eager to catch their first glimpse of the beloved animals.

The panda pair departed China for the US on September 27 and subsequently underwent routine quarantine procedures. Their 10-year stay at Zoo Atlanta will build on more than two decades of cooperation between the two countries in giant panda conservation.

Crowds of visitors flocked to Zoo Atlanta to catch a first glimpse of the panda pair, according to multiple media reports. On opening day for the pandas, Zoo Atlanta officials said the zoo was fully booked throughout the day, with all time slots filled by visitors eager to see the pandas, the local media outlet WABE reported.

Guo said that giant pandas are China's national treasures and goodwill ambassadors. To ensure that the pandas remain healthy and safe, complete their journey abroad smoothly, and adapt to their new environment, both China and the US have made thorough preparations in strict accordance with international giant panda conservation requirements and technical standards.

We believe the new round of China-US giant panda cooperation would make fresh contributions to strengthening the protection of giant pandas and other endangered species, advancing global biodiversity conservation, and fostering friendship between the Chinese and American peoples, Guo said.

Global Times