Malaysia’s orangutan diplomacy

Source: The post Malaysia’s orangutan diplomacy has been created, based on the article “The irony in Malaysia’s ‘orangutan diplomacy” published in “Indian Express” on 11th May 2024.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2- international relations-

News: Malaysia plans to gift orangutans to trade partners who purchase its palm oil.

What is the role of animals in diplomacy?

Animals symbolize values and enhance diplomatic relationships, as seen in historical and modern examples.

China used giant pandas effectively in “panda diplomacy” to improve international relations and showcase goodwill.

Malaysia intends to use orangutans as gifts to trade partners who purchase palm oil, aiming to counteract negative perceptions about environmental sustainability.

Notes: The only one of the great apes in Asia, the orangutan is an endangered species that is found only in the tropical forests of Borneo (Malaysia and Indonesia) and Sumatra (Indonesia).

Historical examples show mixed results:

The panda Ya Ya became a point of contention between the US and China due to health concerns.

In 1551, Soliman the elephant overshadowed other aspects of Archduke Maximilian’s marriage, illustrating how such gifts can have unintended consequences.

What challenges does Malaysia face with this strategy?

Malaysia’s use of orangutans could be seen as ironic since orangutans are endangered due to habitat loss from palm oil plantation expansion, the very industry Malaysia seeks to promote.

Similar strategies, like China’s panda diplomacy, have faced challenges. For instance, the poor health of pandas in American zoos led to a campaign in China calling for their return, showing that using animals in diplomacy can lead to unintended diplomatic strains.

Question for practice:

Discuss the potential challenges and implications of Malaysia’s plan to gift orangutans to trade partners in exchange for purchasing palm oil, considering historical examples and the role of animals in diplomacy.