Hong Kong stocks close higher

Hong Kong's stock market ended higher on Wednesday with the benchmark Hang Seng Index up 2.58 percent to close at 27,826.91 points.

The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index hiked 2.89 percent to 9,512.24 points, and the Hang Seng Tech Index soared 2.53 percent to 5,900.16 points.

A newly released video from China's famous panda capital shows two giant panda cubs cuddling, climbing and even engaging in a tiny tug-of-war as they grow up side by side.

The footage, filmed on Jan 9 at the Star Giant Panda Nursery House in a panda base from Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province, features two bear cubs born in 2025 sharing their early days in peaceful and playful harmony.

One clip shows a panda cub lies comfortably stretched out on a tree branch, only to be joined moments later by a slow-climbing companion. The second cub carefully hoists itself up, settles in, and snuggles close, turning the branch into a cozy panda perch for two.

Another clip shows the pair pressed together on the grass, silently testing their strength in what looks like a miniature tug-of-war, gripping the same branch with their tiny teeth.

According to the research base, raising same-age panda cubs together is part of a practice known as "social enrichment," designed to encourage natural behaviors through appropriate interaction.

The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is a world-renowned institution for the conservation of giant pandas. The base is famous for its work in protecting and breeding giant pandas, red pandas and other endangered wild animal species unique to China, as well as its educational outreach programs. It is now a major tourist attraction for both domestic and overseas panda enthusiasts.