CHENGDU, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Southwest China's Chengdu is increasingly turning into a city of pandas, as a large-scale expansion project of panda facilities has begun this week.

Photo taken on Sept. 24, 2019 shows giant panda cubs at Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Photos: Xinhua)

A "Panda Planet" covering 3,500 hectares will be built based on the current Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, featuring panda research and tourist attractions, according to a government plan.

The research base will be expanded to 235 hectares from the current 66.7 hectares, accommodating up to 180 giant pandas and co-existing animals such as lesser pandas and snub-nosed monkeys.

It is estimated that upon completion the Panda Planet will receive 16.5 million visitors annually by 2035, becoming an international eco-tourism resort combining scientific preservation research, public education and cultural creation.