HONG KONG -- John Lee, chief executive of China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said Monday that the central government has agreed to give another pair of giant pandas as a gift to the HKSAR, and the pair is expected to arrive in the coming months.

The HKSAR government is grateful to the central government, and has commenced preparatory work for welcoming the giant pandas to Hong Kong, he said.

Lee made the announcement at a reception after a flag-raising ceremony marking the 27th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to the motherland.

"I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the central government for gifting another pair of giant pandas to the HKSAR, which fully demonstrates its care and support for our city. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, which makes this gift even more special," Lee said.

Lee said that the two pairs of giant pandas given by the central government in the past have accompanied generations of Hong Kong people, which is the collective memory of all.

"The new pair of giant pandas will become close 'family members' of Hong Kong people, bringing us laughter and joy," Lee said.

The HKSAR government has been in liaison with the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council and the National Forestry and Grassland Administration to discuss the arrival arrangements of the giant pandas. The HKSAR government will immediately get on with the preparatory work to ensure that the Hong Kong Ocean Park is fully geared up to take care of the giant pandas, a spokesperson for the HKSAR government said.

The HKSAR government is confident that the preparatory work will be completed smoothly, and details of the arrangements for welcoming the giant pandas to Hong Kong will be announced in due course, the spokesperson said.