A farewell ceremony was held at the Bifengxia Base of China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda (CCRCGP) to bid goodbye to two pandas, 'Suhail' and 'Thuraya', who will be coming to Qatar.
The giant pandas are expected to arrive in Qatar. The Chinese Ambassador to Qatar, HE Zhou Jian also retweeted photos of the pandas with a caption, "See you tomorrow in Qatar! #PandainQatar"
According to the Chinese news portal, Wenweipo, it is the first time that a panda has been sent to the Middle East to live a new life.
The giant panda 'Thuraya', its Chinese name 'Si Hai' is an independend and quiet little girl with a passion for climbing trees, born on September 19, 2018 in Shenshuping Base, Wolong, Panda Center and later lived in Ya'an Base.
Meanwhile, 'Suhail', with a Chinese name ' Jing Jing' has a round head and a long body, which also loves climbing trees.
According to the report, a team of experts were also sent to Qatar to conduct on-site assessments on the venues.
The pandas are a gift from China to Qatar to mark the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 being held in the country from November 20 to December 18.
In a previous report, an official from the Chinese Embassy in Qatar has confirmed that the giant pandas will be settled in Al Khor Park.