KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, June 12 (AP/UNB) - Malaysia says it will receive a pair of baby pandas from China to mark four decades of diplomatic ties.

The Ministry of Natural Resources says the giant pandas will live in a wetland park in Malaysia's administrative capital of Putrajaya for 10 years.

Prime Minister Najib Razak said Tuesday the loan marks "a great symbol of the warm and close relations" Malaysia and China have.

An agreement for the plan will be signed this week, but it wasn't clear when the pandas will arrive.

Malaysian officials say they will conduct panda conservation research including in the areas of artificial insemination and behavior studies.

Malaysia will also run a contest to name the pandas.

China regularly sends the prized animals abroad as part of "panda diplomacy" to signal strong relations.