Chinese ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian has a soft spot for animals.
Two healthy yet "naughty" cats, as well as pet turtles, keep the ambassador company, especially while facing the pandemic in the country.
Ambassador Huang can't get enough of his pet animals as he has even introduced them to Filipinos by sharing their photos and videos on social media.
Meet Ding Ding and Yuan Yuan
The ambassador’s two furry "special friends" are named Ding Ding and Yuan Yuan. The cats, with their gray coats and mesmerizing eyes, were adopted in the country.
"These two cuties were adopted here in the Philippines during the pandemic. 100% Philippine blood LOL," Huang said in a Facebook on Feb. 10.
The two cats were "tiny and shy" when he first got them, but have since grown "strong and healthy.”
"Sometimes they are naughty and fight with each other. Yet most of time they are very close friends," he said. "Always comforting to have them as accompany during work, especially during this hard time of pandemic."
The ambassador's feline pets also appeared to have embraced the couch potato life.
He managed to film the cats glued to the television set, and shared the amusing video clip on Facebook.
Apart from being a cat-loving person, the Chinese ambassador is also a proud owner of turtles.
In a Facebook post dated Feb. 20, he revealed drawing inspiration from the turtles, which he said symbolize "hope and long life."
"In Chinese Culture, turtles are symbolic of steadfast tranquility because they can survive during bad times...my turtles in these photos remind me like them to stand strong amidst the hardships and challenges," he said.
"Given this, I hope you can think of the same thing. Have faith because brighter days are ahead of us!" he said.