Austrian diplomat: Giant pandas He Feng and Lan Yun will be loved by all Austrians

(ECNS) — Two giant pandas, He Feng and Lan Yun, departed from Chengdu in southwest China's Sichuan Province on early Wednesday morning and are expected to arrive at Schönbrunn Zoo in Vienna after a flight of more than ten hours, and will embark on a 10-year stay in Austria.

To ensure their safe journey, the two pandas were accompanied on the flight by a Chinese veterinarian and an Austrian caregiver. On the Chinese side, fresh bamboo, bamboo shoots, specially crafted steamed buns, drinking water, and medications were all well prepared for them.

The two pandas were born in 2020 in China, the name He Feng means "lotus breeze", whilst Lan Yun conveys the fragrance of orchids.

A farewell ceremony for the pandas was just held on Tuesday afternoon in Dujiangyan, a city under the jurisdiction of Chengdu. Ulf Hausbrandt, the minister of the Austrian Embassy in China, said at this event that the pandas are not only adorable but also envoy a friendship between China and Austria.

Thanks to the friendly ties between Dujiangyan and Vienna, Hausbrandt said that He Feng and Lan Yun will not be welcomed by random strangers, but by old friends, and he believes they will be deeply loved by Austrians of all ages, just like the previous pandas that lived at Schönbrunn Zoo.

China and Austria launched a giant panda conservation cooperation program back in 2003, with the first pair of pandas being Yang Yang and Long Hui. They set a European record by naturally breeding four litters with five cubs in total, without human intervention.

(By Zhao Li)