China announced Monday that it would offer Qatar two giant pandas on the occasion of the World Cup (November 20-December 18) organized in this Gulf state.
"It is a gift from the 1.4 billion Chinese for the World Cup in Qatar, and it will surely become a new symbol of China-Qatar friendship," Chinese Ambassador to Doha Zhou said. Jian, during a reception in the capital of the gas emirate.
The two bears called "Suhail" and "Soraya" are expected in Qatar in October, just before the 32-nation tournament, said the diplomat.
Suhail is the name of one of the brightest stars observed in the Gulf region, while Soraya is the Arabic name for the Pleiades star cluster.
China absent from the competition
China, the most populous country on the planet, did not qualify for the World Cup.
But Chinese companies have been involved in building mega-projects around the event.
Another couple of Chinese giant pandas were loaned to France for 10 years in 2012 as part of "panda diplomacy", a gift that China uses to strengthen ties with other countries.
Since the renewal of their loan, they are still installed at the zoological park of Beauval, where they gave birth to three other pandas.
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