Cover De De and Jia Jia (Photo: courtesy of Ocean Park)
De De and Jia Jia (Photo: courtesy of Ocean Park)
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Ocean Park marks the first birthday of Hong Kong’s panda twins with a celebratory cake, alongside announcements of a new documentary and dedicated zones for the cubs.
Hong Kong’s first locally born giant panda twins, Jia Jia and De De, turn one today (August 15, 2025). Ocean Park marked the milestone with a cheerful celebration at Giant Panda Adventure, where the playful cubs enjoyed a specially made “cake” of their favourite treats.
Twenty children born on the same day as the cubs, along with their families, were invited to visit the midland habitat and alpine zone. One parent, Pang, who signed up after seeing the announcement on social media, called it “a cherished memory” for her child.
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Above De De and Jia Jia next to their birthday ‘cake’ (Photo: courtesy of Ocean Park)
De De and Jia Jia next to their birthday ‘cake’ (Photo: courtesy of Ocean Park)
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At a press conference, Ocean Park chairman Paulo Pong revealed that the panda siblings will star in a new documentary directed by local filmmaker Benny Lau Wai-Hang, known for the 2010 romantic comedy Love in a Puff. The film is in post-production and set for release next year.
Pong also announced plans to build two additional habitats for the cubs by the time they turn three in 2027, bringing the park’s total panda enclosures from five to seven. While locations are yet to be confirmed, he hopes to position them near the existing habitats so visitors can see all of Ocean Park’s pandas in one area.
Despite recent challenges from black rainstorms and unpredictable summer weather, Pong remains optimistic. “This is our prime season, and I hope more people can come visit us during the summer break,” he said.
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Zabrina is the Senior Editor, Arts and Culture of Tatler Hong Kong. She specialises in performing arts, visual art and film. Her wanderlust was first fuelled by the Mighty Rovers Antarctica Expedition 2010. Over the years, she has interviewed A-list artists and filmmakers, including Oscar winners Chlóe Zhao and Tim Yip, Golden Horse winner Sylvia Chang, In the Mood for Love cinematographer Christopher Doyle, Pachinko author Min Jin Lee, and Coachella’s first Chinese solo singer Jackson Wang. She won gold at the WAN-IFRA Asian Media Awards for her 2021 feature on the waves of hate crimes targeting Asian Americans.
