As the new-comer giant pandas made their debut in Hong Kong's Ocean Park on Sunday, Hong Kong veteran entertainer Andy Lau welcomed the visitors, together with the pandas, posing as their keeper.

Local media reports that Andy Lau arrived in Ocean Park in the morning and learnt how to prepare food and clean the house for the giant pandas.

Having got his first up-close contact with the giant panda, Andy Lau had nothing but "lovely" to say of the black-and-white bears.

"But I was surprised their hair was so hard and thick. I thought it was like a plush toy," said Andy Lau.

The new panda couple, Le Le and Ying Ying, was presented by China's central government to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) as a gift to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong's return to China.

(CRI.cn July 2, 2007)