Enhancing Zoo Negara's reputation via 'panda diplomacy'

China is known for sending giant pandas to countries around the world as a form of diplomacy and wildlife conservation.

Zoo Negara deputy president Rosly@Rahmat Ahmat Lana expressed gratitude for the pandas and said they have made the national zoo more popular and boosted ticket sales.

Giant pandas Fu Wa and Feng Yi were born on August 23, 2006, at the Wolong Panda Centre in Sichuan, China.

They were lent to Malaysia on May 21, 2014, in celebration of the 40th anniversary of Malaysia-China diplomatic relations, and were renamed Xing Xing and Liang Liang.

The pair subsequently...