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Following is the speech given by the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa at the Opening Ceremony of the Giant Panda Habitat today (Monday):

Ms Wu, Mr Cha, Mr Li, ladies and gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure for me to be here today to celebrate with you the opening of the Giant Panda Habitat. On behalf of the Special Administrative Region, may I take this opportunity to express once again our gratitude to the Central People's Government for its generosity to bestow on us a pair of giant pandas, the valuable treasure of China. And on behalf of all the people of Hong Kong, I would like to pay tribute to Ms Wu Yi, our State Councillor, for coming all the way to Hong Kong to officiate at the opening ceremony of the Giant Panda Habitat. The people of Hong Kong are all excited to welcome the arrival of An An and Jia Jia. I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the departments concerned of the Central People's Government, the local institutions and organizations involved, the Hong Kong Jockey Club as well as the Ocean Park Corporation for their invaluable assistance in preparing for the arrival of the giant pandas in Hong Kong.

It is a great honour to the people of the Special Administrative Region to receive this exceptional gift from the Central People's Government. On 1 July 1997, Hong Kong returned to the big family of China. With the strong support of our motherland over these twenty-two months, we have been able to implement successfully the principle of "one country, two systems". 1999 is a meaningful year to China as well as to all Chinese people. This year, we are going to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and witness the return of Macau to our motherland. The timely arrival of this pair of giant pandas adds greater joy to our celebration on these jubilant days.

The coming of An An and Jia Jia to Hong Kong enables over six million Hong Kong people to have a close sight of our national treasure. A deepened understanding of this rare animal species also helps promoting our awareness of the protection of our natural environment. As giant pandas have much restrictions in their habitat, the Ocean Park has constructed a purposely-designed Giant Panda Habitat with advanced facilities for An An and Jia Jia to enable them to settle down comfortably in a well-provisioned and sanitary environment. With the great care of the animal keepers of the Ocean Park and the experts from Wolong Nature Reserve, An An and Jia Jia have already get accustomed to their new home.

The Ocean Park is a well-known tourist spot of Hong Kong. Each year, well over 3m visitors on average come to visit the Park. I believe that the arrival of An An and Jia Jia will help boosting our tourist industry by attracting more local visitors as well as those from the mainland and overseas.

The gift of An An and Jia Jia also testifies that closer ties have been forged between the mainland and Hong Kong after the reunification. Their auspicious names also import that Hong Kong will remain stable and prosperous with continued success in the days to come.

Thank you.

Photo: Photo shows Madam Wu and Mr Tung touring the Habitat and seeing for themselves the two pandas living happily in their new environment.

End/Monday, May 17, 1999

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