‘Panda diplomacy’ hit by missing flight

KUALA LUMPUR: China has postponed plans to send a pair of pandas to Malaysia next week, a minister said on Friday, as bilateral relations remain uneasy over the disappearance of flight MH370.

The two countries agreed in 2012 that China would send the giant pandas for a 10-year stay in Malaysia, in Beijing’s latest use of “panda diplomacy” to cement ties with other countries.

But Malaysia’s environment minister G Palanivel said: “They (China) are waiting for the results of MH370. “They will delay the arrival,” he said in a text message. “They might send in late May.” In a separate public statement, Palanivel said China and Malaysia have agreed the giant pandas should arrive “at a more significant date” in May.

May 31 marks the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Palanivel did not elaborate on the reasons for the delay, but the circumstances of the animals’ planned arrival appeared likely to cause embarrassment for China’s government -- they were due arrive on April 16 on a Malaysia Airlines flight.

The airline and Malaysia’s government have come under withering public criticism in China, whose 153 nationals made up the bulk of the 239 aboard the missing jet.

Chinese relatives of the missing passengers have accused the Malaysian flag carrier and authorities of bungling the response to the plane’s disappearance and withholding information, which Malaysia’s government denies.

Malaysian news reports on Friday quoted gover nment officials saying at least 30,000 Chinese tourists had cancelled holidays in Malaysia.