国内英语新闻:Chinese first lady sends message to celebrate 100-day birthday of baby panda in Belgium zoo

BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Chinese first lady Peng Liyuan, together with Belgium's Queen Mathilde, sent congratulatory messages respectively on Friday to celebrate the 100th day of a baby giant panda born in Belgium's Pairi Daiza zoo.

"I would like to express my sincere congratulations to the baby panda on the occasion of its 100-day birthday, and to extend my appreciation to the staff of the zoo and all Belgian friends for taking good care of Xing Hui and Hao Hao, the parents of the baby panda," said Peng in the message.

During Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Belgium in March 2014, Peng recalled, she made a tour to Pairi Daiza zoo with Belgian King Philippe and Queen Mathilde and visited the two pandas, Xing Hui and Hao Hao.

"I wish the baby panda a healthy childhood and hope it will bring more joy to the Belgian people, especially the Belgian children," she said.

Hao Hao and Xing Hui were sent to Belgium from China in 2014. They are the first giant pandas China has sent overseas for a lease term of 15 years instead of the usual 10.

The arrival of Hao Hao and Xing Hui made Belgium the 13th country and Pairi Daiza the 18th zoo in the world to house giant pandas, which are considered one of the world's most endangered species.