KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 8 — Malaysia’s Giant Panda Conservation Centre (GPCC) is about to get busier and cuter as the public will soon get to meet its newest residents, Chen Xing and Xiao Yue.

The five-year-old male and female pair arrived from China last November 18 and have completed their one-month quarantine period, Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability Minister Datuk Seri Arthur Joseph Kurup announced today.

“Based on this, the PRC has agreed to allow the GPCC to be opened to the public.

“I will announce the GPCC opening date in the near future,” he said in a statement on Zoo Negara’s Facebook page.

He also said the GPCC has also had a major makeover, with upgraded enclosures, refreshed landscapes, improved interiors, and a new chiller system to keep the pandas comfy and visitors happy.

“During the visit, Chen Xing and Xiao Yue displayed normal and active behaviour, indicating good adaptation.”

Adorability aside, the pandas also represent a decade-long Malaysia-China conservation partnership from 2025 to 2035.

Malaysia is one of 20 countries that have partnered China to undertake giant panda conservation and research.

The agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association lets Malaysia host a new pair of giant pandas for 10 years until 2035.