The largest panda exhibition in Hong Kong, "PANDA GO! Hong Kong Tour," officially launched yesterday (12th) at the Legislative Council (LegCo), featuring 150 panda sculptures making their debut in the LegCo building. The event attracted citizens and tourists who came to take photos with the adorable pandas. LegCo President Andrew Leung highlighted that this exhibition marks the first time panda sculptures have entered the LegCo and is a significant step in developing Hong Kong's "panda economy." He revealed that he had consulted AI software DeepSeek for suggestions on promoting panda-related economic activities, receiving ideas such as transforming pandas into a cultural icon, building a panda IP ecosystem, and organizing immersive panda exhibitions. Leung joked that these suggestions were "even better than those from lawmakers."
Leung noted that since Hong Kong's handover, the nation has gifted several pairs of giant pandas to the city, demonstrating the country's care for Hong Kong. He also mentioned that this Saturday, the twin siblings of Ocean Park's pandas Ying Ying and Le Le will make their first public appearance, which is expected to boost the panda craze in Hong Kong. Leung expressed LegCo's support for developing the panda economy, believing pandas will bring more joy to citizens and inject new momentum into Hong Kong's tourism industry.
Secretary for Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Roxanne Ip, thanked the planning team and her bureau for supporting the "PANDA GO! Hong Kong Tour" series of activities, which aim to make pandas a ubiquitous presence across Hong Kong. She agreed with DeepSeek's suggestion to "turn joy into an industry" and pledged to study and implement these ideas. Ip also encouraged visitors to Ocean Park to purchase panda-themed cultural and creative products, humorously urging everyone to "start industrializing by supporting these products."
The "PANDA GO! Hong Kong Tour" exhibition will tour various iconic landmarks across Hong Kong, showcasing 2,500 panda sculptures. The first stop is the LegCo Complex, where the sculptures will be displayed until the end of the month. Subsequent exhibitions will be held at Discovery Park in Tsuen Wan and Central Market from January 17 to March 6. Ip described the panda sculptures as lifelike and diverse, encouraging citizens to take photos and spread the joy across Hong Kong.
Leung also highlighted that Hong Kong is home to six giant pandas, the most in any region outside mainland China. He referenced the "Hong Kong Tourism Blueprint 2.0," which emphasizes promoting panda tourism to create business opportunities. Leung expressed confidence that pandas will bring happiness to citizens and tourists while boosting Hong Kong's ecological conservation and tourism sectors.
Ip concluded by urging citizens to visit the LegCo to take photos with the panda sculptures and to support panda-themed cultural and creative products at Ocean Park, spreading the joyful atmosphere throughout Hong Kong. The exhibition not only offers a visual treat but also injects new vitality into Hong Kong's tourism and cultural industries.