KUALA LUMPUR - Malaysia will receive a new pair of giant pandas in mid-November, said Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Huang Tiong Sii.

He 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.

“This renewed agreement allows Malaysia to receive a younger pair of giant pandas for the period between 2025 and 2035,” Datuk Seri Huang told the Dewan Rakyat, Malaysia’s Lower House of Parliament, while winding up his ministry’s Budget 2026 debate on Nov 12.

He said the collaboration reflects the strong bilateral ties and shared conservation goals between Malaysia and China.

The first pair of pandas loaned to Malaysia in 2014 – Fu Wa and Feng Yi, renamed Xing Xing and Liang Liang, respectively – became star attractions at Zoo Negara.

They were

repatriated to China on May 18

Mr Huang said both governments are pleased that Malaysians responded warmly to the pandas, which have become a symbol of China and Malaysia’s friendship.

The new pair of pandas, expected to arrive at Zoo Negara next week, will enable continued joint research on panda protection and breeding as part of the conservation partnership. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK