Hong Kong celebrated the birth of its very first locally born giant pandas, with the mother setting a remarkable record as the world’s oldest first-time mother of giant pandas, as announced by the theme park where they reside. Ying Ying, the mother, gave birth to twins, a male and a female, at Ocean Park just a day before she turned 19 years old. She, along with her partner Le Le, were the second pair of pandas gifted by China to Hong Kong following the city’s return to Chinese rule in 1997.

Giant pandas are regarded as China’s unofficial national mascot, and the country’s giant panda loan program with zoos worldwide has served as a tool for Beijing’s soft-power diplomacy. Ocean Park noted the challenges in giant panda reproduction, particularly as they age, mentioning that panda pregnancies are not easily detectable.

Ying Ying displayed symptoms of pregnancy in late July, but it was only confirmed on a Sunday, with her labor beginning on Wednesday. Following over five hours of labor, the babies were safely delivered on Thursday morning. The park stated that the cubs are fragile and require time to stabilize, especially the female cub who had a lower body temperature, weaker cries, and lesser food intake after birth. Visitors will have to wait a few months before the cubs make their public debut.

Expressing gratitude to the local animal care team and Chinese experts, Ocean Park Corp. chairman Paulo Pong described the birth as a rare occurrence, emphasizing Ying Ying’s noteworthy achievement as the oldest giant panda to give birth for the first time. Hong Kong leader John Lee also conveyed appreciation to the central government for gifting the pandas to the city in 2007, highlighting Beijing’s care and support.

Despite Hong Kong having its own governing and judicial system, China’s imposition of a national security law in 2020, used to prosecute pro-democracy activists, remains controversial. Lee announced in July that a third pair of pandas will be arriving in Hong Kong this year. The previous pair of giant pandas, An An and Jia Jia, arrived in 1999. Jia Jia, who passed away at 38 in 2016, holds the record as the world’s oldest panda to have lived in captivity, surpassing the typical wild panda lifespan of 18 to 20 years or the 30-year lifespan in captivity, according to Guinness World Records.