Envoy hails arrival of 'special envoys of friendship from China'

Chinese ambassador Zhou Jian Wednesday hailed the arrival of the two giant pandas in Qatar."Today is my happiest day in Qatar for the past three years," he said while addressing the ceremony held at Panda House, Al Khor, Wednesday to welcome the giant pandas. "We are gathering at this newly completed and beautiful Panda House in Al Khor to welcome the special envoys of friendship from China, two giant pandas - JingJing (Suhail) and Sihai (Thuraya)."The envoy noted that co-operation on giant panda conservation and research between China and Qatar "came as an important consensus reached by President Xi Jinping and His Highness the Amir". "It is also the first of its kind in the Middle East, marking a new height for China-Qatar relations and a new chapter in Chinese-Arab friendship. I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, and the Chinese expert team for their contributions in panda selection, park construction and international co-operation in panda research and conservation. I believe that these two lovely pandas will soon become the focus of love among the Qatari people and superstars in the Middle East."We hope that the pandas' arrival could promote the idea of harmonious coexistence between man and nature. Known as 'a living fossil', the giant panda is a flagship species for world biodiversity conservation. And our co-operation will serve as the latest effort in global wildlife protection, which will encourage more people to contribute to the protection of biodiversity and build a community of life on earth."He continued, "We hope that the arrival of the giant pandas will inspire people’s enthusiasm for understanding China. There are many vivid stories of pursuing and realising dreams in China every day. These two giant pandas are carrying the best wishes of the Chinese people to the Qatari people. We hope that our Qatari friends will know more about China and the Chinese people through the pandas, and become 'panda huggers'."We hope that the arrival of the giant pandas will strengthen the international community's commitment to peace and development. The giant panda is a symbol of peace. We hope that these two lovely pandas can awaken people's desire for peace and confidence in development.""Finally, let us wish the two lovely giant pandas a happy life and healthy growth in their new home in Qatar. May they bring more love, surprise and joy to the people of Qatar and the Middle East," he concluded.