Malaysia to Request Extension from China Ahead of Panda Return Deadline

The Malaysian Prime Minister formally requests China to extend the lease of a pair of pandas whose return to China is imminent.

On the 28th, local media The Star reported that Anwar Ibrahim, the Prime Minister of Malaysia, attended the 60th anniversary ceremony of the National Zoo near the capital Kuala Lumpur the previous day and promised to push for the extension of the lease of two pandas currently leased from China.

Prime Minister Anwar said, "I will discuss with Chinese President Xi Jinping whether there is a way for the pandas to stay longer in Malaysia," adding, "Since the relationship between the two countries is very good, I am optimistic that China will fully consider supporting our proposal."

Everland Panda Fu Bao
[Photo by Samsung C&T Corporation]
[Image source: Yonhap News]

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China leased a pair of pandas, Xingxing and Liangliang, to Malaysia for a long-term period of 10 years in 2014 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations. This year marks the end of the 10-year lease period, and their return is imminent. Xingxing and Liangliang gave birth to cubs Nuan Nuan, Yi Yi, and Sheng Yi in Malaysia in 2015, 2018, and 2021 respectively. Following China's requirement that "cubs are sent to China when they turn two years old," all cubs have been sent to China.

Like Fu Bao, who is very popular in Korea, Malaysia's pandas have also been loved by the local people. In response to some criticisms that maintaining pandas is costly, Prime Minister Anwar said, "We do not pay the panda lease fee, only the maintenance costs," and added, "Many people who cannot afford to travel to China to see pandas come here. For some Malaysians, seeing pandas here is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

There have been cases where the lease period of pandas was extended. Previously, in Japan, a panda cub named Xiang Xiang, born in 2017, was scheduled to be sent to China in 2019 when it turned two years old, but due to increasing requests within Japan for an extension, after consultations, it stayed in Tokyo for an additional year. Later, the return was further postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Xiang Xiang was sent to China last year at the age of five.

What about Fu Bao, born on July 20, 2020, between pandas Le Bao and Ai Bao, who were sent to Korea in March 2016 by Chinese President Xi Jinping as a symbol of Korea-China friendship? A diplomatic source in China stated, "The possibility of Fu Bao staying in Korea is very low." It has been decided that Fu Bao will be moved to the Giant Panda Conservation Research Center located in Sichuan Province, China, in early April.

Accordingly, Fu Bao will be open to the public only until early March. To help with adaptation for the move, visits will be available only in the afternoon from now on.

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