Pandas reaching Atlanta zoo in a few days; adjust. training now

Apart from pomp and pageantry -- panda is another centrepiece from the Xi-Trump summit.

Earlier, Xi says giant pandas Ping Ping and Fu Shuang are set to travel to the US, embarking on a 10-year protection cooperation programme at Zoo Atlanta.

And the bears are expected to "meet with the American people in a few days."

Male panda Ping Ping and female panda Fu Shuang, both around six years old, originate from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.

A researcher at the base says pandas were selected not just because of their suitable age and docile temperament, but also how they "take a liking to each other" which helps facilitate breeding in the future.

Before they set off, the bears will stay in an enclosed environment for strict quarantine and health checks.

They will also undergo additional acclimatisation training to prepare for the noise of a more than 10 hour long-haul flight to the US.

Some 6 million US dollars -- equivalent to 46.8 million Hong Kong dollars -- have been spent on upgrading the panda pavilion at Zoo Atlanta which will be the new home of the bears.