Update | China pledges to send pandas to Malaysia 'at appropriate time' after delay over MH370 search
Panda couple Feng Yi and Fu Wa were supposed to fly out on April 15
China said the two pandas promised to Malaysia to mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties will arrive at an "appropriate time".
The announcement was made after Malaysia announced their scheduled trip next week would be delayed, at the request of the Chinese government.
Giant pandas Feng Yi and Fu Wa were supposed to leave the Sichuan conservation centre on April 15 and arrive early the next day, according to a spokesman for Malaysian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.
This afternoon, the Chinese embassy in Kuala Lumpur issued a statement saying that negotiations were being carried out and that the pandas would arrive "at an appropriate time in the near future”.
“Bilateral relations will not be affected by any individual incident,” it said.
A Chinese embassy staff member told the South China Morning Post earlier today that the delay was a gesture of respect for the passengers, mostly Chinese, and the crew on Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 and their aggrieved families, as the chances of finding the jet increases.