Giant pandas arrive at Atlanta zoo from Chengdu for 10-year stay

Two giant pandas land in the US city of Atlanta after a cargo flight journey that saw them travelling all the way from Chengdu in southwestern China early Sunday.

The relocation of the pair of bears is part of an agreement between the Chinese and American governments.

People lined the streets to bid farewell to the two giant pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang as they left Chengdu early Sunday by truck taking them to the chartered flight heading for the United States.

The pandas departed Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport in Sichuan province at 2:55am after a farewell ceremony at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, where both animals were born.

This visitor to the giant pandas said, "Of course, we wish them a good life abroad, and they carry the blessings of all Chinese people."

While this girl said "I hope they can eat well, drink well, and just grow up healthy - that's all I want."

Fu Jia, keeper at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding has been involved in caring for Ping Ping since his birth in 2020.

"Ping Ping's name, together with that of his brother An An, comes from the wish for them to be safe and sound throughout their lives.

Fu Shuang's mother is named Fu Lu, which carries the meaning of both fortune and prosperity. Actually, Fu Shuang has a distinctive feature - a 'dolphin-shaped forehead' which is particularly noticeable when compared with Ping Ping," she said.

In April this year, China announced it had signed a 10-year agreement with Zoo Atlanta for cooperative research on giant panda conservation.

Under that agreement the two pandas will stay in the US for the cooperation programme.