UALA LUMPUR, Nov 12 — Malaysia is set to receive a new pair of giant pandas in mid-November, Deputy Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Huang Tiong Sii said today.
He told the Dewan Rakyat that 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, The Star reported.
“This renewed agreement allows Malaysia to receive a younger pair of giant pandas for the period between 2025 and 2035,” Huang said when winding up his ministry’s Budget 2026 debate.
He said the collaboration demonstrates the strong bilateral ties and shared conservation goals between Malaysia and China.
The first pair of pandas, Fu Wa (also known as Xing Xing) and Feng Yi (Liang Liang), were loaned to Malaysia in 2014 and became major attractions at Zoo Negara.
They were returned to China on May 18 this year after completing their 11-year stay in Malaysia.
Huang said both governments were pleased that Malaysians had warmly embraced the pandas, which became a symbol of China–Malaysia friendship.
The new pair, expected to arrive at Zoo Negara next week, will continue joint research on panda protection and breeding as part of the ongoing conservation partnership.
