Staff members carry a caged giant panda to an enclosed truck at a breeding base in Ya'an, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 23, 2008. The 4-year-old giant pandas, Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan, offered by the Chinese mainland are going to leave here Tuesday for Taiwan. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
YA'AN, Sichuan, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- A pair of giant pandas offered by the Chinese mainland to Taiwan left here Tuesday for the island.
The pandas left Ya'an, Sichuan, at around 8:20 a.m.
in an enclosed truck. They would first be transported to Sichuan's provincial
capital of Chengdu, about 120 km from Ya'an, and then be flown to Taiwan on
Tuesday afternoon.
Before their departure, the pandas had their
breakfast - carrots and steamed corn buns.
A brief ceremony was held at the Bifeng Gorge Base in
Ya'an.
Staff members put a caged giant panda into an enclosed truck at a breeding base in Ya'an, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 23, 2008. The 4-year-old giant pandas, Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan, offered by the Chinese mainland are going to leave here Tuesday for Taiwan.(Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery>>>
Zhang Hemin, head of the China Giant Panda Protection
and Research Center in Wolong, said at the ceremony he hoped the pair would
bring happiness to Taiwan compatriots.
A set of special stamps were first issued on Tuesday
in Ya'an to mark the event.
The mainland announced in May 2005 it would donate
two giant pandas to Taiwan. Their departure was delayed for more than three
years. Improved cross-Straits ties make their journey to Taiwan possible.
The four-year-old pandas, Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan, had been living at a breeding base in Ya'an, Sichuan Province, since the May 12 strong earthquake which damaged their former home in Wolong.
Local residents attend a ceremony to see two giant pandas off at a ceremony held in Ya'an, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 23, 2008. The 4-year-old giant pandas, Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan, offered by the Chinese mainland will fly to Taiwan on Tuesday afternoon.(Xinhua/Chen Xie) Photo Gallery>>>
Qu Chunmao, the pair's keeper in Ya'an, spoke through
tears, "I wish them a happy life in Taiwan."
A Taiwan keeper, who would accompany the pair to the
island, said the pandas were in good condition.
"They had a good breakfast to sustain them on the
long journey," she said.
Staff accompanying the pandas will bring a week's
food for the pandas such as steamed corn buns and fresh bamboo.
Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan will be housed in a
four-story building at the Taipei city zoo. They will have the first floor and
an outdoor playground to themselves.
The pair are expected to meet Taiwan residents during
the Spring Festival, the Chinese lunar new year, after a one-month quarantine
period, but that depends on how they adapt to the new environment.
Giant pandas are among the world's most endangered animals. There are about 1,590 pandas living in China's wild, mostly in Sichuan and the northwestern provinces of Shaanxi and Gansu. Through 2007, there were 239 captive bred giant pandas in the country.
Staff of a breeding base see two pandas off at a ceremony held in Ya'an, southwest China's Sichuan Province, Dec. 23, 2008. (Xinhua/Chen Xie) Photo Gallery>>>
A caretaker of the Taipei zoo trains
Yuan Yuan, one of the two pandas donated and will be sent by the Chinese
mainland to Taiwan, at a panda breeding base in Ya'an, southwest China's
Sichuan Province Dec. 21, 2008. The Taiwanese caretakers in two groups
have basically learned the breeding skills of pandas since Oct. 2008.
(Xinhua Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
TAIPEI, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Taipei zoo opened its
new panda house to the public and media on Thursday, showcasing its full efforts
to welcome the giant panda pair presented by the mainland.
The new panda house covers an area of 5,500 square meters
with an investment of 300 million New Taiwan dollars (9.1 million U.S. dollars),
said Jason Yeh, the zoo director. Full story
Taiwanese breeder You Xueyin feeds giant
pandas Tuantuan and Yuanyuan, a couple of pandas the mainland has promised
to send to Taiwan, at a panda breeding base in Ya'an City in southeast
China's Sichuan Province on Dec. 22, 2008, one day ahead of their
scheduled departure. The panda pair will take a chater flight to go to
Taiwan on Tuesday if the weather condition is ok. (Xinhua/Chen
Xie) Photo
Gallery>>>
The 4th Cross-Straits Economic, Trade
and Cultural Forum between the Chinese mainland and southeast China's
Taiwan begins in Shanghai, east China, Dec. 20, 2008. (Xinhua
Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
SHANGHAI, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- The 4th Cross-Straits
Economic, Trade and Cultural Forum between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan began
here Saturday morning.
Jia Qinglin, member of the Standing Committee of the
Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Political Bureau, and
Kuomintang (KMT) Chairman Wu Poh-hsiung and Honorary Chairman Lien Chan
attended. Full story
Passengers from southeast China's Taiwan
gesture before boarding the plane at the airport in Shenzhen, south
China's Guangdong Province, Dec. 15, 2008. A Shenzhen Airlines flight took
off from the Shenzhen Airport for Taiwan at 7:20 Beijing Time (2320 GMT
Dec. 14), the first when the Chinese mainland and Taiwan started direct
air and sea transport and postal services Monday morning. (Xinhua
Photo) Photo
Gallery>>>
BEIJING, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland and
Taiwan started direct air and sea transport and postal services on Monday amid
warming ties, ending a 59-year ban on such links.
Formerly, air and sea movements -- including mail -- had
to go by way of a third place.
The direct daily transport started as a mainland-based
Shenzhen Airlines flight took off from the Shenzhen Airport for Taipei at 7:20
a.m.(2320 GMT Sunday), which was followed by a Taiwan-based TransAsia Airways
jetliner from Taipei to Shanghai. Full story
TAIPEI, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- Wu Min-yu, chairman of the
Taiwan-based Chunghwa Post Co. Ltd., sent out a letter to Liu Andong, president
of the Chinese mainland's China Post Corporation, on 9:17 a.m. (1:17 GMT),
marking the start of direct postal service between the two sides. Full story
TAIPEI, Dec. 15
(Xinhua) -- Taiwan leader Ma Ying-Jeou on Monday said direct transport and
postal services across the Taiwan Straits symbolized reconciliation between the
island and the Chinese mainland.
At a ceremony in south Taiwan's Kaosiung port, Ma
expressed the hope that the two sides could work together for common peace and
prosperity after the direct transport and postal services started. Full story
