KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Giant pandas "Chen Xing" and "Xiao Yue" from China officially met the Malaysian public here on Saturday.
In a ceremony marking the event at the Giant Panda Conservation Center (GPC) at Zoo Negara, the country's national zoo, the pair met eager onlookers following their quarantine and acclimatization.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was the guest of honor. In his remarks at the ceremony, Anwar thanked China for the cooperation in the conservation of giant pandas, noting that they are hugely popular with the Malaysian public.
He also described with amusement how the giant pandas had acquired a taste for the specific kinds of bamboo grown in the state of Negeri Sembilan.
"I was told earlier that the pandas are very particular -- they don't just eat any bamboo. They only accept bamboo from Rembau, after trying many types from different places," he said.
Anwar added that the arrival of the two giant pandas from China was in line with the government's values, particularly environmental sustainability and harmony with nature.
In the long queues formed outside the GPC, Hari, a Kuala Lumpur resident, came with his family and braved the crowds for their chance to catch a glimpse of the pair.
"I've visited the panda center before. This time, with a new pair of giant pandas arriving in Malaysia, I definitely had to come and see them," he told Xinhua, adding that the long queue did not dampen his enthusiasm.
For her part, Siti Asimah said she had felt saddened when the previous pair of giant pandas returned to China and had excitedly waited to meet the new ones.
"It is an amazing opportunity to be able to see these rare animals up close. I hope Malaysia will be able to host them for a long time and to continue doing so after Chen Xing and Xiao Yue return," she said.
China and Malaysia launched their first round of international cooperation on giant panda conservation in 2014. Last April, a joint statement signed by both countries announced their agreement to continue cooperative research on giant panda conservation, expressing hopes for further progress in the field.
Xing Xing and Liang Liang were the first pair of giant pandas sent to Malaysia in 2014, and completed an 11-year stay in Malaysia before returning to China last May. Last November, Malaysia welcomed the new pair of giant pandas, "Chen Xing" and "Xiao Yue."■
