The two giant pandas gifted to Hong Kong by the central government will retain their original names, An An and Ke Ke, which symbolise peace, stability, and endless possibilities for the future of the SAR.

The government and Ocean Park organised a naming competition in October for these national treasures, and received over 22,600 suggestions.

At a greeting ceremony at Ocean Park on Saturday, it was announced that the judges had selected the suggestion to keep the original names of the five-year-old pandas, as the Chinese pronunciation of "An" and "Ke" together resembles the word "encore," symbolising ongoing good fortune for Hong Kong.

"I think it is so meaningful. There is more of a sense of belonging by keeping their original names," said a woman surnamed To.

Another woman surnamed Li said she fears people might confuse the new An An with the previous panda of the same name, who passed away in 2022.

"I think it's fine, but some people might think of the old An An. That An An lived in Hong Kong for a very long time, so we were really sad when he passed away. It should be fine to reuse the name because the new panda is used to this name anyway. It should help him adjust a lot easier," she said.

During his speech at the ceremony, Chief Executive John Lee said he is ecstatic for the pair to officially meet the public on Sunday, adding that the pandas will serve as tourism ambassadors for both the nation and Hong Kong.

"This initiative aims to create a panda craze across the city and bring giant pandas to different corners of Hong Kong," he said.

"The government will continue to seize the opportunities presented by the giant pandas, actively collaborating with various sectors to organise more related activities and launch locally themed panda products, providing visitors with a unique panda experience and boosting Hong Kong's tourism and retail industries."

Lee also said that the giant pandas exemplify the nation's successful conservation efforts, and he affirmed that the SAR is dedicated to collaborating with experts from the mainland to advance panda conservation initiatives.

"The government will work with Ocean Park to advance panda conservation and outreach efforts. Various educational activities will be organised to allow more friends from both local and international communities to learn about the achievements and strengths of the nation and Hong Kong in conservation, reversing the trends of species extinction, and promoting biodiversity," he said.

Lee added that Hong Kong is home to the largest number of giant pandas outside the mainland, with a total of six, including also Ying Ying, Le Le and their newborn twins.

Meanwhile, many people also gathered in Tsim Sha Tsui to take photos with the 2,500 giant panda sculptures in the first stop of the "Panda Go! Fest HK" exhibition.