On January 21st, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, John Lee, announced before a meeting of the Executive Council that the two giant panda cubs will celebrate their half-year birthday on the 18th day of the first lunar month (February 15). Hong Kong will hold a special debut ceremony for them. The following day, February 16, the public will have the opportunity to meet the twin pandas at Ocean Park Hong Kong.
The twins, affectionately known as “Jia Jie” (sister) and “Xi Lao” (brother), were born on August 15, 2024. Their mother, “Ying Ying,” is a giant panda gifted to Hong Kong by China. This marks the first time that giant pandas have successfully bred in Hong Kong, a significant milestone. Ying Ying, who gave birth a day before her 19th birthday, also became the oldest female panda on record to successfully give birth for the first time.

While the cubs have yet to be officially named, the public has affectionately called them “Jia Jie” for the sister and “Xi Lao” for the brother, terms used in Cantonese to denote “older sister” and “younger brother.” On Ocean Park’s panda social media page, many netizens expressed their excitement to meet the twins in person soon.
The two cubs have undergone rapid growth. By their 100th day in November 2024, “Jia Jie,” who was born weighing just 122 grams, had grown to 5.3 kilograms, while “Xi Lao” increased from 112 grams at birth to 5.5 kilograms. This remarkable growth reflects their healthy development, and the public eagerly anticipates their official introduction.