In the small town of Brugelette in Belgium, some 60 kilometers south of Brussels, lies a zoo called Pairi Daiza which means "enclosed garden".

Inside the Pairi Daiza zoo is a walled enclosure, a 6,500 square meter Chinese garden that serves as a habitat for its newest migrant residents, giant pandas Hao Hao and Xing Hui.

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The coupled moved into their new home on February 23, after a long journey from China on board a chartered DHL flight complete with first class accommodations suited for pandas, special snacks to sate their appetite, a makeshift  jungle playground consisting of 100 kilos of bamboo to keep them from being bored during the long flight, and two Chinese experts that played up to their whims and quirks.

The 4-year old pandas, carrying legitimate Belgian visas, are on lease to Belgium from their home in Sichuan province.  

They will be staying in Belgium for 15 years under a breeding program jointly undertaken by China's Panda Conservation and Research Center and Belgium's Pairi Daiza Zoo.

Hundreds of Chinese saw off Xing Hui and Hao Hao as they flew out of China in February.

In Belgium, no less than Belgian Prime Minister Elio Di Rupo greeted the two pandas with a red carpet welcome, and in true VIP fashion, with "VIP" taking on a new meaning as "Very Important Pandas".

The zoo's owner, Eric Domb, remains as excited about hosting the pandas as he was during their arrival.

Domb says his fascination with pandas started in childhood and he considers the presence of Hao Hao and Xing Hui as a dream come true.

"Giant pandas are unimaginable animal species. Despite their large size, they are vegetarians! Not to mention how cute they are when they are walking," enthused Domb.

Pandas are among the world's endangered species. As human settlements began to expand with development, so did the pandas' natural habitats begin to shrink. Propagating pandas is a difficult task whether it happens in the wild or done in captivity.

As Hao Hao and Xing Hui start to settle in their new temporary home, a trip inside Belgium's Pairi Daiza Zoo gives a feeling of being transported to China, as the habitat was especially built with amenities one could find in any of China's preservation centers for pandas.

The environment around Pairi Daiza is similar to the living environment of Sichuan Wolong region in China where pandas thrive. These were deemed ideal conditions for Xing Hui and Hao Hao to live in and hopefully breed.

Visitors who enter the garden are welcomed with a traditional Chinese archway inscribed with "Zhongguomeng", meaning the "Chinese dream." Tourist amenities inside the enclave include a restaurant that serves authentic Chinese cuisine.

The Chinese garden cost US$ 11 Million (68 Million yuan) to build, and it boasts of night and day chambers for the panda couple.

Temperatures within the compound is maintained at 18 degrees Centigrade. Lighting is constantly monitored at the 17-square meter night chamber. Each panda has its own 40-square meter private chamber.

Domb hopes that the latest addition to the zoo will give visitors a glimpse of the beauty of China's culture and environment.

The garden, which opens to the public in April, was formally inaugurated by Belgian King Philippe and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is in Belgium for a two-day visit as part of his Europe tour.