The Pandas "Suhail” and “Soraya" Arrive at Doha

A pair of pandas "Suhail" and "Soraya" arrived at Hamad International Airport from Beijing, after a farewell party organized for them on Tuesday, October 18, in China, which gave them to the State of Qatar on the occasion of the Qatar World Cup 2022.

The Chinese website (CRI Online) stated that the pair of pandas, the female (three years) and the male (four years), left on a private plane from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport to Doha.

According to the website, this gift to the State of Qatar is the first cooperation program about giant pandas between China and the Middle East

The Chinese Center for the Protection and Research of the Giant Panda sent experienced breeders and veterinarians to accompany the two animals and help them adapt to their new environment in Qatar.

More than a month ago, physical examinations were carried out on the two pandas, and they were placed in quarantine, and the center said that they were in good health.

Experts from China also provided field guidance on the place where the pandas will live in Qatar and helped establish a professional team for panda breeding.

Panda Diplomacy

Pandas are the best choice for diplomatic gifts from Beijing and giving a foreign country the Chinese national animal "panda" is a message and evidence of its desire to improve and bring its political and diplomatic relations with the other country closer.

Since the seventh century, Empress Wu Debin gave pandas to Japan as a gift, and this custom was revived during Mao Zedong's regime.

During the Cold War, pandas were sent to Russia and North Korea, and the United States received a pair after President Nixon's visit to China in 1972.

What does a panda eat?

Earlier, the Ministry of Municipality had published a mysterious tweet on its Twitter account that sparked an interaction among users in an attempt to guess the details of the topic.

In the description of the tweet, the ministry said: "Soon in Qatar," using a picture of an animal's hand holding sugar cane sticks.

Users linked the details of the image "animal hand" and "sugar cane sticks" to the news of China's gift of two giant pandas to Qatar, in celebration of the World Cup, where sugarcane and bamboo are the favorite food of pandas.

China previously announced at the end of last month that it would donate two giant pandas to Qatar, to celebrate the World Cup.

Whereas France-Press agency quoted the Chinese ambassador to Doha, Zhou Jian, that "Suhail" and "Soraya" will arrive in Qatar in October, before the start of the World Cup.

The ambassador added - during a reception in Doha - "This is a gift that 1.4 billion Chinese gave to the people of Qatar, and it will certainly become a new symbol of friendship between China and Qatar."

The two bears were named "Suhail" after one of the brightest visible stars in the Gulf region, and "Shuraya", the Arabic name for one of the most famous and brightest star clusters.