Pair of Chinese giant pandas get snowy welcome in Finland
HELSINKI — A pair of giant pandas has arrived in snowy Finland, China’s gift to mark the small Nordic nation’s 100 years of independence.
Four-year-old male panda Hua Bao and three-year old female Jin Baobao were welcomed Thursday in a ceremony at Helsinki airport attended by the Chinese ambassador to Finland and Finnish officials.
“We think this is the best gift that Chinese people can give to Finland,” said Chen Li, China’s ambassador to Finland, referring to Finland’s 100th anniversary on Dec. 6, 2017.
The pandas have been renamed in Finnish as Pyry (“Snowfall”) for the male and Lumi (“Snow”) for the female.