Berlin Zoo looks to name newborn panda twins Hong and Kong in solidarity with protesters

Source: The Hill | September 7, 2019 | Marina Pitofsky

After a Berlin newspaper asked readers what to name two newborn pandas at the Berlin Zoo, the most suggested names were “Hong” and “Kong,” to support pro-democracy protests that have broken out in the city for months.

The Tagesspiegel newspaper, which held the naming contest, said the other names readers suggested were also political choices. Some suggested “Pay Pay” and “Coco & Chanel,” The New York Times reported, due to the cost of keeping the pandas. 

The Berlin Zoo does not technically own the pandas, as they are on loan from China. The zoo has payed more than $1 million a year since 2017 to house the animals, according to The New York Times.

Others suggested Tien Tien and Anmen Anmen in honor of the Tiananmen Square protests.  

Although the zoo said the names will be chosen with help from a Chinese research center, the results of the survey come as German Chancellor Angela Merkel is visiting Beijing to promote trade between the two countries and discuss the trade war currently underway between the U.S. and China.

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