Two pandas chosen as a gift to Hong Kong from China's central government to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the special administrative region have been placed in isolation for one month.

The temporary quarantine is needed to comply with exit-entry regulations, according to Wei Jicheng of the Sichuan Province Bureau of Quality Supervision and Quarantine.

The pandas have been in isolation since the beginning of the month.

Since then, inspectors have been closely monitoring their health and behavior.

"So far, the couple are healthy and energetic," Wei said.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang asked the central government to send another pair of giant pandas last September. The request was approved the following month.

The Hong Kong government launched a competition calling on the public to name the pandas early this month.

The government received nearly 9,000 sets of names before the competition ended last week, and the result will be announced in two weeks, according to Ocean Park Hong Kong, the future home of the animals.

The two pandas were selected from among 15 candidates after rigorous physical examinations involving weight, height, teeth, heart rate, breathing, body temperature, blood and organs.

Both pandas were born in August 2005 at the China Panda Protection and Research Center in Wolong, Sichuan Province.

The panda pair will be flown to Hong Kong on a chartered Boeing 747-400F cargo plane that will be operated by China Southern Airlines around May 1, according to CSA sources.

The pandas will also have to undergo another month-long isolation before they can meet the public in late June.

The central government presented the first pair of pandas, An An, 28, and Jia Jia, 29, as a gift to Hong Kong. An An and Jia Jia now live at Ocean Park.
On July 1, 1997, Hong Kong was handed over to China, ending more than 300 years of rule by the British and leading to the creation of the Hong Kong special administrative region.