Following the public debut of two giant pandas gifted by the Central Government in December lastyear, the first-ever locally born pandas cubs will meet the public starting from tomorrow (16 February) at Ocean Park’s Giant Panda Adventure habitat.
Last year, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust approved a donation of over HK$121 million to upgrade the Hong Kong Jockey Club Sichuan Treasures and to expand the Giant Panda Adventure habitat. This included the addition of snowing features and landscape restoration, providing a high quality, safe, age-appropriate and more natural living habitat for the giant pandas. In addition to adult pandas An An and Ke Ke, Ying Ying and Le Le, the twin cubs making their first public appearance tomorrow will also benefit from the improved facilities. The Charities Trust’s donation will additionally support educational programmes for students from underprivileged backgrounds,enabling them to visit the giant pandas at Ocean Park.
The giant panda twins will meet the public for the first time tomorrow. They will live and flourish in the expanded and upgraded Giant Panda Adventure, which features new habitats supported by the Charities Trust’s donation. Above, Le Le enjoys his meal in the Giant Panda Adventure.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club is committed to promoting sustainable development. The Club funded Ocean Park’s construction and initial operations after it opened in 1977. In 1998, the Charities Trust funded construction of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Giant Panda Habitat, which was later renovated and renamed Hong Kong Jockey Club Sichuan Treasures. The Club has also supported community projects such as the Jockey Club Ocean Park Education Programme and the Jockey Club Giant Panda Junior Volunteer Programme, aimed at fostering awareness of rare animal species, including national treasures including giant pandas. To date, the Club and its Charities Trust has approved a total of over HK$900 million in donations to support Ocean Park’s development and operations.
The Club’s support for Ocean Park, like all its charity donations, is made possible by its unique integrated business model through which racing and wagering generate tax contributions,charity support and employment opportunities for the community.
The giant panda twins will meet the public for the first time tomorrow. They will live and flourish in the expanded and upgraded Giant Panda Adventure, which features new habitats supported by the Charities Trust’s donation. Above, Le Le enjoys his meal in the Giant Panda Adventure.
In collaboration with the National Health Commission (NHC) and funded by the Institute of Philanthropy (IoP), The Hong Kong Jockey Club Medical and Health Scholarship-cum Fellowship for Top Talent in the Mainland (the “Initiative”) has supported 29 top medical and health professionals from the Mainland to undertake Master’s, doctoral studies and post-doctoral training at three universities in Hong Kong. Additionally, in mid-April, the programme supported 25 senior officials of the national health system to undertake a National Health System at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST).
The inaugural Hong Kong Jockey Club Medical and Health Scholarship-cum-Fellowship for Top Talent in the Mainland awarded a total of 29 long-term programme scholarships and fellowships, supporting top medical and health talent in the Mainland to undertake Master’s, doctoral studies and post-doctoral training at three universities in Hong Kong during the 2024/25 academic year.
Since the signing of the “Collaboration Agreement Between the National Health Commission and The Hong Kong Jockey Club on a Scholarship-cum-Fellowship for Top Talent in the Mainland” between NHC and The Hong Kong Jockey Club (“the Club”) in March last year, and with support from the Health Human Resources Development Centre of the NHC (“Programme Management Office”), preparation and selection work for the Initiative has been well underway. The goal is to nurture a cohort of core talent with professional competence, strategic thinking and a global perspective in the fields of medicine and health. After rigorous assessment by a selection committee comprising leading medical and health experts in the Mainland and Hong Kong, 29 medical and health professionals across the nation were awarded scholarships or fellowships to pursue Master’s degrees, doctoral degrees and post-doctoral training in medical research, public health, biomedical sciences and health management at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and The University of Hong Kong (“HKU”). The scholarship recipients commenced their studies or training in the 2024/25 academic year.
Chief Executive of the HKSAR John Lee (2nd right), the then Vice-minister of the National Health Commission Lei Haichao (2nd left), Club Chairman Michael Lee (1st right) and Secretary for Health of the HKSAR Government Professor Lo Chung-mau (1st left) pose for a photo at the signing ceremony in March 2024 in Beijing.
The Hong Kong Jockey Club Leadership Programme for Senior Executives in the National Health System completed in April 2025 at HKUST was the first short course under the Initiative. It aims to enhance the leadership and professional competency of senior officials in the national health system in support of the implementation of the Healthy China 2030 Blueprint. The 25 scholarship recipients included senior officials from central ministries (including the NHC), as well as health commissions and medical institutions from 19 provinces and cities. The training course not only provided participants with opportunities to broaden their horizons and deepen their professional knowledge, but also laid a solid foundation for future co-operation between Hong Kong and the Mainland in the fields of medicine and health. The Programme Management Office is planning to organise a second short course at HKU in June 2025.
The Initiative also awarded scholarships to 25 senior officials from the central ministries (including the NHC), as well as various provincial and municipal health commissions and medical institutions in April 2025 to participate in The Hong Kong Jockey Club Leadership Programme for Senior Executives in the National Health System at HKUST.
Mr. Lester Huang, Chairman of IoP and a Steward of the Club, stated: “Talent and sector development is one of the key priority areas of our charity strategy. This scholarship programme fully leverages Hong Kong’s role as an international education hub, working closely with local universities to provide training for the country’s medical and health talent, exemplifying our commitment to community betterment. We are grateful for the support given to the scholarship programme by the universities, and will continue to support other local universities in participating in the high-quality development of the national medical
The Hong Kong Jockey Club Medical and Health Scholarship-cum-Fellowship for Top Talent in the Mainland is funded by a donation of about HK$300 million from IoP, established jointly by the Club and its Charities Trust in September 2023. The programme focuses on the development of top professional talent in clinical services and health management, demonstrating IoP’s strong support for the Healthy China 2030 Blueprint and the 14th Five-Year Plan on health-talent development.
