Panda diplomacy: Merkel receives Chinese visitors
On loan from China, two giant pandas have made their way to the Berlin Zoo. Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese President Xi Jinping have celebrated their arrival at a special ceremony.
Bamboozled
Meng Meng and Jiao Qing appear to have made themselves at home in Berlin, where measures have been taken to ensure their surroundings are to their liking. That includes lots of bamboo, a favorite food of the black-and-white bears.
Warm welcome
Meng Meng and Jiao Qing received a warm welcome from Chancellor Merkel at an official opening ceremony on Wednesday. The Berlin Zoo has created a special Panda Garden habitat for the giant pandas in the hope of making them feel at home in the German capital. Berlin is the only zoo in Germany to house panda bears.
On loan from China
In Germany on official business just ahead of the G20 summit in Hamburg, China's President Xi Jinping met with Merkel before taking part in the official ceremony. The giant pandas are on loan from China after Germany struck a deal two years ago to secure their addition to the Berlin Zoo.
Panda diplomacy
Despite the presence of two of the world's most powerful leaders, the panda bears stole the show. Merkel said the long-awaited bears were "two very nice diplomats" which serve as "special ambassadors between our two nations."
Peek-a-boo pandas
Visitors to the Berlin Zoo will be able to see the highly-anticipated panda bears beginning Thursday.
Panda babies?
While there are high hopes that they may mate, any offspring produced in Berlin will need to be returned to China once old enough to survive without its mother.
At home in the Panda Garden
The new additions to the Berlin Zoo seem to be feeling right at home in their newly renovated Panda Garden. The last panda resident at the zoo, Bao Bao, died in 2012, so his home had to be updated for the happy pair, the only pandas in Germany. They are on loan from China for 15 years.
Royal reception
Crowds eagerly awaited the arrival of the two giant pandas when their plane touched down at Schönefeld Airport on June 24. The long-awaited bears received a royal reception on the runway before being brought to their new home in the Berlin Zoo.