In recent months, Hong Kong has been swept by “panda fever.” Since February 16, when the city’s first locally born giant panda twins, “Jia Jie” and “Sai Lou,” made their public debut at Ocean Park, visitor numbers have surged, breaking single-day attendance records at the panda exhibit.
The excitement surrounding these pandas has gone beyond the park—hotel prices have soared, panda-themed merchandise has sold out, and panda-inspired food has become a social media sensation. The arrival of the twin cubs has not only boosted tourism but has also further embedded pandas into Hong Kong’s cultural fabric.
Unlike other countries where pandas are leased under China’s “panda diplomacy” program, Hong Kong’s pandas are gifts—a distinction that underscores the city’s unique status and relationship with the mainland.