The First Minister Alex Salmond of scotland, Princess Anne , Prince Andrew and a senior official from the Royal Bank of Scotland have been enlisted to lobby the Chinese government to rent a pair of pandas to Edinburgh Zoo.

Internal documents revealed that the zoo has been exerting influence in high places to encourage China to export the endangered creatures.

Mr Salmond reportedly wrote a letter to the Chinese foreign minister, Yang Jiechi, backing the zoo's plan.

It was also reported that a letter from Princess Anne's private secretary promised that she would pursue the panda imports with the British Ambassador in Beijing.

The letter reportedly added that a senior official from RBS had asked Prince Andrew to raise the matter with his sister.

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, which runs the city zoo, announced in May it was negotiating a loan of two pandas from the Chinese government.

The zoo is set to agree to pay fees towards panda conservation in China.