Image credit: Jasmine Fong (Wah Piang)
Malaysia is set to welcome a new pair of giant pandas in mid-November, Deputy Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii announced today.
Speaking in the Dewan Rakyat, Huang said the panda loan project between Malaysia and China will continue under a new 10-year agreement, signed on April 16 during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit to Malaysia, according to The Star.
“The renewed agreement enables Malaysia to host a younger pair of giant pandas from 2025 to 2035,” Huang said during the winding-up of his ministry’s Budget 2026 debate.
He added that the collaboration reflects the enduring friendship and shared conservation commitment between Malaysia and China.
The previous pair of pandas stayed for 11 years in Malaysia
Malaysia’s first panda pair, Fu Wa (also known as Xing Xing) and Feng Yi (Liang Liang), arrived in 2014 and quickly became one of Zoo Negara’s star attractions.
After spending 11 years in Malaysia, the pair were returned to China on May 18 this year.
Huang noted that both governments were pleased with the warm reception the pandas received from Malaysians, calling them a lasting symbol of China–Malaysia friendship.
The new pandas, expected to arrive at Zoo Negara next week, will continue collaborative research on panda conservation and breeding as part of the ongoing partnership.
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Source: The Star
