Ocean Park has expressed joy over the central government’s decision to send two pandas to Hong Kong as gifts.

The park’s chairman, Paulo Pong, said preparations are now underway to receive the new guests.

"Together with Ying Ying and Le Le, the new giant pandas will celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China with Hong Kong citizens and tourists,” he said.

“Ocean Park is deeply grateful for the trust placed in us by the central government and the HKSAR government to care for our national treasures.”

A regular visitor to Ocean Park told RTHK that she’s very excited about the new pandas, saying she hopes they can be named "Economy" and "Takeoff".

"I am really looking forward to it. The panda frenzy can boost the economy... I hope they will have panda babies," she said.

Two tourists from the mainland, meanwhile, said they will come to Hong Kong again when the new pandas arrive.

"We couldn't see any pandas when we went to Sichuan. We'd be really thrilled if we can see some in Hong Kong," they said.