Malaysia welcomes a new pair of giant pandas. Chen Xing and Xiao Yue are arriving at Zoo Negara for a ten-year stay. A new chapter in the collaboration between China and Malaysia begins today with the arrival of giant pandas Chen Xing and Xiao Yue at Zoo Negara. They are the protagonists of a ten-year conservation agreement that strengthens the famous "panda diplomacy.".
Malaysia, Zoo Negara, the pandas Chen Xing and Xiao Yue: who are they?
The transfer of the two pandas, coming from the Sichuan Giant Panda Conservation and Research Center of China, started yesterday, November 18, 2025, from Shuangliu Airport at 3:45 pm, as reported by the newspaper The Star. After a journey under strict veterinary supervision, Chen Xing and Xiao Yue will land in Kuala Lumpur this evening, with an expected arrival time of 9:30 PM. Chen Xing, a male born in August 2020, is described as lively, curious, and a lover of climbing. Xiao Yue, a female born in September of the same year, is calm and affectionate, with a particular passion for food. Both will undergo a mandatory quarantine period before being officially introduced to visitors at Zoo Negara, scheduled for early next year.
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The dispatch of the two young animals marks the continuation of a long-standing collaboration between China and Malaysia in giant panda conservation. The current agreement was renewed during Chinese President Xi Jinping's official visit last April. The occasion further confirmed the shared commitment to wildlife conservation and strengthening bilateral relations. Chen Xing and Xiao Yue symbolically replace Fu Wa and Feng Yi (known in Malaysia as Xing Xing and Liang Liang), who were the most beloved faces of Zoo Negara for over a decade. The pair, who returned to China in May after 11 years, contributed to the birth of three cubs—Nuan Nuan, Yi Yi, and Sheng Yi—and have become an integral part of the success of panda conservation in Malaysia. With this new arrival, Zoo Negara confirms its key role in protecting the giant panda and promoting international cooperation to safeguard vulnerable species.