Nothing says Chinese culture quite like giant pandas. Two of them have given a warm Ni Hao to the public in Belgium on Thursday. They arrived at Pairi Daiza Zoo almost a month ago, having been leased from a conservation and research centre in southwest China's Sichuan Province.

The pair of pandas have been leased for 15 years to the Pairi Daiza Zoo, located in the country's French-speaking region. Their arrival followed a political row between the country's French and Dutch-speaking regions, which both wanted to host the pandas.

Xing Hui is male and his name means "Twinkling Star". His friend Hao Hao is female and her name means "Good Good".

Male giant panda Xing Hui.

"I think pandas really are majestic animals, and it's very impressive to see them. Normally, they can only be seen in a habitat like this in China, and here it feels a bit like we're in China, so it feels like a voyage, but all the while staying in one's own country," said a visitor.

The pandas will be studied as part of a research program and, if all goes well, it will be the longest time any giant pandas have lived abroad. It's the second time for Belgium to see giant pandas - one of the world's most endangered species in the country.

Two giant pandas were brought to Belgium in 1987, but only stayed a few months. About 1,600 giant pandas live in the wild, mostly in the mountains of Sichuan Province, while more than 300 live in captivity.

Male giant panda Xing Hui.