Indonesia Welcomes Giant Panda Cub as Ties with China Deepen
President Prabowo Subianto receives a courtesy visit from Wang Huning, Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), at the Merdeka Palace in Central Jakarta, Thursday (12/04). (Photo by: BPMI of Presidential Secretariat)
A rare milestone for Indonesia’s conservation efforts was marked with the birth of a giant panda cub on Wednesday, 27 November 2025, at 17:31 local time. The newborn, weighing 228 grams at five days old, is believed to be male according to initial medical examinations, though final confirmation will follow in the coming weeks.
President Prabowo Subianto has named the cub Satrio Wiratama, affectionately called Rio, a name symbolizing noble courage and integrity. The President shared a photo of Rio with Chairman of China’s National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference Wang Huning, during their meeting at the Merdeka Palace in Central Jakarta, Thursday (12/04).
The cub, born through natural reproduction that began in August 2025 under close hormonal, urine, and behavioral monitoring, is the offspring of Hu Chun and Cai Tao, two giant pandas presented to Indonesia in 2017 by President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping as part of an international conservation partnership. To date, only about 20 countries in the world have received pandas through intergovernmental mechanisms, placing Indonesia in a position of honor in global conservation collaboration.
The birth of Rio stands as a symbol of optimism and a testament to the success of ongoing efforts to preserve endangered species while strengthening international cooperation. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat) (GWH/LW)
