Panda lover

Actually, this is not the first time for China's national treasures to visit the country. In 1987, Wan Wan and Xi Xi were loaned to the Antwerp zoo for six months. Although that visit created wonder and excitement and drew the crowds, one 28-year-old Belgian, Jeroen Jacobs, remembered his childhood visit to see them something much more.

"That was the start of my passion for pandas, and now as a panda-specialized website owner, I am so exciting to come to the pandas' hometown to report the pair to my hometown!" he excitedly told China Daily

Pandas boost ties

Michel Malherbe, Belgian Ambassador to China, told China Daily the panda trip will strengthen China-Belgium friendship and enhance people’s understanding and connection between China and Europe. He said China and Belgium have had very deep cooperation in foreign trade and investment, and the panda pair’s arrival will further promote the two countries’ cultural and educational exchanges.

'A wedding ceremony'

Eric Domb told China Daily that he feels like a couple preparing for its wedding ceremony due to the impending arrival of two pandas at his zoo in Brussels.

He said new couples start to feel happy in the days after the event when they are not busy anymore.

"I will feel better when I see the pandas eating bamboos and sleeping well in our zoo.”

Belgian Ambassador to China Michel Malherbe said over 10,000 people have registered for the welcome ceremony of China's two giant pandas in his country.

Panda Adoption

If you want to know how to adopt a giant panda, please see this website.

Kungfu panda – a global panda icon

Panda has long been a Chinese cultural icon. PanPan, a smiling panda, was the official mascot of the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing, which also host Summer Olympics in 2008.

Featuring two Chinese culture icons, martial arts and panda, Kung Fu Panda, a Hollywood animation made Po, the main character, a global panda image. The first movie of the trilogy climbed to top of the box office at its first opening weekend, prompting two sequels.