Giant panda Si Hai feeds on bamboo at the Ya'an base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in southwest China's Sichuan Province, Oct. 17, 2022. Two giant pandas left their breeding base in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Tuesday for Qatar in a cooperation program on the research and protection of the animal between the two countries.(Photo: Xinhua)

Accompanied by well wishes from the Chinese public, two giant pandas named Si Hai and Jing Jing arrived in Doha, capital of Qatar on Wednesday morning after leaving the Ya'an base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda  in Southwest China's Sichuan Province on Tuesday afternoon.

Si Hai and Jing Jing are the first pair of giant pandas to arrive in the Middle East. Their arrival in Qatar ahead of the World Cup is testament to the deep friendship between the two countries, Qatari Ambassador to China Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Dehaimi told the Global Times in an exclusive interview, describing the two pandas as "a gift from the Chinese people to the Qatari people."

Doha's panda park will open in November, ahead of the World Cup's opening on November 20, according to Dehaimi.

At a send-off ceremony on Tuesday, Dehaimi said that the event was a milestone in people-to-people and cultural diplomacy between the two countries, aiming to take relations between the two friendly countries to a higher level and wider field. The ambassador thanked all the people who had contributed to the success of the journey, according to the Embassy's official Weibo account.

In May 2020, China and Qatar signed a cooperation agreement on giant panda protection and research to further promote international cooperation in the field and to boost the protection of endangered species and biodiversity in the two countries. It marks the first time China has cooperated with a Middle Eastern country in this capacity.

Female panda Si Hai was born in the Shenshuping Base in Wolong National Nature Reserve on July 26, 2019, and male panda Jing Jing was born at the same reserve on September 19, 2018. They have been living at the Ya'an Base since then.

To ensure the two pandas start their new lives smoothly, both sides have made full preparations. The two pandas have been in good condition since they were put under quarantine a month ago.

The Chinese team sent several expert delegations to Qatar for on-site guidance and assessment of the venues, as well as assisting the country in setting up a professional giant panda breeding and management team and ensuring supplies of bamboo.

To help the giant pandas adapt to their new environment quickly, the research center also sent experienced breeders and veterinary experts to Qatar.

Chinese netizens expressed well wishes for the two pandas as they left for Qatar. "Hope our babies have a safe trip. And hope that they get used to the new environment quickly!" one netizen said.

Many fans of the two pandas expressed their hope that the Qatari team could open a livestreaming account for them so Chinese netizens can witness their growth process.