Giant pandas Jin Xi and Zhu Yu depart for Spain

Giant pandas Jin Xi and Zhu Yu took off from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport on a special flight to Spain on Monday morning.

They are accompanied by experts, as well as fresh bamboo and bamboo shoots. Upon arrival at Madrid Zoo in Spain, Chinese experts will stay for approximately three months to help them adapt to their new environment, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

Since the cooperation agreement between China and Spain was signed in 2007, the two countries have successfully bred six giant pandas, making Spain one of the most fruitful contributors to international giant panda cooperation in Europe, the administration said in a news release.