On August 23, the giant pandas “Xing Xing” (also known as “Fu Wa”) and “Liang Liang” (also known as “Feng Yi“), born on the same day, celebrated their 18th birthday at the National Zoo of Malaysia.
With their adorable and cuddly appearance, Xing Xing and Liang Liang have been beloved by the Malaysian public for the past decade. They have adapted well to eating bamboo produced in Malaysia and can even understand a few phrases in Malay, symbolizing the friendship between Malaysia and China.
“Olympic Pandas”
Eighteen years ago today, Fu Wa and Feng Yi were born at the Ya’an Bifengxia Research Base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda. They were healthy, adorable, and had distinct personalities, making them very endearing.
In 2008, during the “Pandas You Most Want to See in Beijing” event for the Beijing Olympics, Fu Wa and Feng Yi were selected as lucky candidates to be sent to the Beijing Zoo for about six months to support the Olympic Games.
Six years later, in celebration of the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Malaysia, these two pandas were sent as goodwill ambassadors from the Chinese people to beautiful Malaysia, marking the beginning of their ten-year “overseas” journey.
On June 25, 2014, then-Malaysian Prime Minister Najib attended the opening ceremony of the country’s panda conservation center. On that day, Najib announced that Fu Wa and Feng Yi would officially be renamed “Xing Xing” and “Liang Liang,” chosen through a vigorous voting process by the Malaysian people.
“The Malaysian people are very fortunate to see these adorable giant pandas in their homeland,” Najib stated. “This is a testament to the traditional friendship between our two countries.”
“Ambassadors of Friendship”
To help Xing Xing and Liang Liang quickly adapt to their new environment, the National Zoo of Malaysia sent zookeepers to Sichuan, China, to learn how to care for giant pandas.
“A giant panda needs 25 kilograms of bamboo, 10 kilograms of bamboo leaves, 6 kilograms of bamboo shoots, 1 kilogram of panda cake, and 500 grams of apples and pears each day,” said Rosli, vice president of the National Zoo of Malaysia, in an interview with the New Straits Times. “We must care for them as we would for humans; sugary foods like panda cake and fruits should not be given in excess to prevent them from becoming overweight.”
Under the careful care of the zookeepers, they quickly adapted to their new environment. Just fifteen months after arriving in Malaysia, on August 2015, Xing Xing and Liang Liang gave birth to a cub named “Nuan Nuan,” setting a record for the fastest natural mating and birthing of giant pandas living abroad.
Subsequently, Liang Liang gave birth to two more cubs, “Yi Yi” and “Sheng Yi,” in 2018 and 2021, respectively.
On August 1, 2019, a naming ceremony for the second cub born in Malaysia, a female named “Yi Yi,” took place in Kuala Lumpur, symbolizing the enduring friendship between China and Malaysia.
“Sheng Yi” was born on a special date—May 31, 2021, coinciding with the 47th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Malaysia. Rosli stated, “The birthday of the giant panda cub Sheng Yi coinciding with the anniversary of diplomatic relations is a blessing for the friendship between our two countries, and we hope she grows up healthy.”
The three panda cubs born in Malaysia were sent back to China after reaching two years of age, as per the agreement.
“They Are Irreplaceable”
Xing Xing and Liang Liang’s ten-year lease is set to end in 2024. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar has expressed hope to extend their stay at the National Zoo of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur.
“Many people want to see giant pandas at the zoo. For many, this is the only opportunity to see them… not everyone has the means to travel abroad to see giant pandas,” Anwar said.
In an interview with Sin Chew Daily earlier this year, Rosli mentioned that over the past ten years, he and the zookeepers have accompanied Xing Xing and Liang Liang from their initial arrival in Malaysia when they had no appetite for food, to gradually adapting to life in Malaysia, mating naturally, giving birth to cubs, and growing up. They have developed a deep emotional connection.
The news about Xing Xing and Liang Liang’s lease expiring has garnered attention on social media, with numerous comments expressing reluctance to see them leave.