Munching their favorite bamboo and apples, the first pair of twin pandas born after the Sichuan earthquake on May 12, 2008, Le Le and Mei Mei, first met the public last month and were adopted by their new "parents".

Coca Cola, the world's largest beverage giant, has recently announced it would provide lifelong financial support by adopting the pair of 8-month-old twin pandas at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (Chengdu Panda Base).

In the next 15 to 20 years, Coca Cola will invest over 1 million yuan to guarantee Le Le and Mei Mei's food supply, healthcare and help promote a better living environment for them.

"Giant Pandas are loved by people around the world - they are a wonder of nature, but also one of the best examples of endangered species, which are worth every effort to protect and treasure," said Doug Jackson, president of Coca Cola Greater China and South Korea.

According to Tan Hongming, director of Chengdu Panda Base, the pair of panda sisters, born on July 19, 2009, were the first pair of twin pandas born after the May 2008 Sichuan earthquake, originally called Wen Li and Ya Li.

But after the adoption, Coca Cola gave the sisters new names, Le Le and Mei Mei, referring to "happiness" and the hopes for the well-being of the pandas and the people of quake-hit Sichuan, according to the company.

Founded in 1987, the Chengdu Panda Base has now bred a total of 83 giant pandas with high-tech training and breeding methods. And according to statistics from Chengdu Panda Base, about 1,600 giant pandas live in the wild in China, mostly in Sichuan province and some northwestern areas, such as in Shaanxi and Gansu provinces. Another 290 are in captive-breeding programs worldwide.

"After the Sichuan earthquake, the disaster caused one panda's death, but it also made an increasing number of people from both home and abroad contribute their loves and care to pandas, the world's most endangered animal," Tan told China Business Weekly.

Jackson also introduced an interesting story regarding Coca Cola and the pair of pandas at the adoption ceremony.

At the end of last year, when Jackson launched the Yangtze River Recourse Protecting Project with the World Wide Fund (WWF), he made a special visit to the Chengdu Panda Base.

"Our visit was just soon after the birth of Le Le and Mei Mei at the Chengdu Panda Base," according to Vicky Bai, from Coca Cola China's corporate affairs department.

Jackson and his staff were deeply inspired by the lovely twin pandas . They learned about the pandas' current living condition from staff at Chengdu Panda Base, and soon decided to adopt the panda cubs.

"We believe it is our responsibility to protect the planet and the welfare of its diverse wildlife. The adoption of the pandas signified our long-term commitment in making a sustainable world for ourselves and future generations," said Jackson.

Meanwhile, "we hope our action can encourage our employees, consumers and society to join us in caring for wildlife and the planet we live in," Jackson added.

In recent years, the US-based beverage company has made numerous efforts worldwide to support sustainable development, such as working in partnership with WWF to conserve seven river basins around the world, including the Yangtze River.

In China, the company has been implementing the "Save a Barrel of Water" water conservation and education program for the past five years. It also partnered with United Nations Development Program to help improve the quality of fresh water in Sichuan province.

"The adoption of the pair of twin pandas born after the earthquake, signifies our commitment to support building a better home for animals," said Jackson.