HONG KONG — Starting this Saturday, residents and visitors in Hong Kong will be welcomed by thousands of giant panda sculptures. The excitement surrounding these beloved creatures has surged, especially following the recent birth of two panda cubs at a local theme park.
A launch ceremony for the PANDA GO! FEST HK showcased 2,500 panda-themed exhibits at Hong Kong’s airport this past Monday. These vibrant displays will first appear at the Avenue of Stars in the bustling Tsim Sha Tsui shopping district before traveling to three additional locations over the course of the month.
One prominent venue for the exhibition is Ocean Park, which is home to the twin cubs as well as their parents and two additional pandas that were received as gifts from Beijing earlier this year. Six of the sculptures were designed using recycled rubber barrels and resins, drawing inspiration from these iconic animals.
These installations highlight Hong Kong’s strategy to leverage the charm of pandas to bolster its economy as the city aims to reclaim its status as one of the top tourist destinations in Asia. Pandas hold a special place in Chinese culture, often regarded as an unofficial national symbol. The Chinese government’s panda loan program with international zoos has long been seen as an element of Beijing’s soft diplomacy.
Representatives from the tourism industry in Hong Kong are optimistic about the potential of hosting six pandas, believing this will enhance visitor numbers even with the high costs associated with their care in captivity. Local officials are urging businesses to take advantage of the bears’ popularity, leading some lawmakers to refer to this initiative as the “panda economy.”
The exhibition organizers have also called on well-known personalities, such as musician Pharrell Williams, to design limited-edition panda sculptures. Many of these unique pieces will be auctioned online with the proceeds directed towards Ocean Park to aid in giant panda conservation efforts.
At a separate media preview held on Monday, the new pair of pandas from Beijing, named An An and Ke Ke, seemed quite comfortable in their new environment at Ocean Park. An An was seen munching on bamboo in front of cameras, while Ke Ke expertly climbed on one of the installations. They are scheduled to greet the public this Sunday.
The twin cubs, born in August, have made their mother Ying Ying the oldest panda to give birth for the first time at age 38. These cubs may be available for public viewing as early as February. Ying Ying and the cubs’ father, Le Le, represent the second pair of pandas gifted to Hong Kong by Beijing since the territory transitioned to Chinese governance in 1997. The first pair, An An and Jia Jia, arrived in 1999, with Jia Jia living to the remarkable age of 38 before passing away in 2016, thus earning the title of the oldest panda ever in captivity.
Typically, wild pandas have a lifespan ranging from 14 to 20 years, while those in captivity can live up to 30 years, according to data from the World Wide Fund for Nature.