“By introducing ‘orangutan diplomacy’, it will show to the world, that Malaysia is always committed to biodiversity conservation,” he said in a post on social media platform X.
He urged palm oil companies to collaborate with non-governmental organisations to help preserve and provide technical expertise on wildlife in Malaysia.
Palm oil is blamed by environmentalists for fuelling the destruction of rainforests in Malaysia and Indonesia, which together produce the majority of global output.
The edible oil is used in foods such as cakes, chocolate and margarine, as well as cosmetics, soap and shampoo.
Beijing has long used panda diplomacy as a form of soft power.