TAIPEI, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- The pair of pandas sent
by the Chinese mainland to Taiwan made their official debut at the Taipei Zoo
Monday morning, the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year.
More than 1,000 visitors lined up before the zoo
which opened at 8:30 a.m., waiting to see the 4-year-old bears. Each panda
weighs about 107 kg.
A man who gave his surname as Chang was first in
line. He said he traveled four hours with friends by train from the eastern
county of Hualien and arrived at about 6 a.m.
"We all like the pandas and regard them as precious
gifts from the mainland," said Chang.
Visitors posed at the entrance of the panda house for
pictures. Many were in family groups, and some children wore panda caps.
Tien Ai-ping, 12, came with his mother and sister
from the northern port city of Keelung. He said, "Today is my birthday and I am
so happy to see Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan."
More than 5,000 people visited the pandas within the
first 90 minutes.
The pandas, "Tuan Tuan" and "Yuan Yuan" (together
meaning "reunion"), completed a month-long quarantine that began when they
arrived on Dec. 23.
The pair came from a nature reserve in southwest
China's Sichuan Province as gifts from the mainland and became "sweethearts" of
the island.
The zoo will limit panda visitors to 22,000 each day.
"It's an honor for Taiwan to breed the two pandas, as
there are only about 1,600 pandas in the world," said Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou
last week when he visited the zoo.
Among the first-day visitors were 500 kids from poor
families, who were invited by the zoo to watch the pandas.
The panda craze also created business opportunities
as shops in the zoo now sell a large variety of panda-related souvenirs such as
postal stamps and envelops, toys, caps, clothes, key rings, cell phone traps,
and cups.
This year's Spring Festival is the first after the
two sides resumed direct cross-Strait links in trade, transport and postal
service. Based on regular chartered passenger flights, which started last
December, 68 additional chartered flights will be operated during the festive
period.
Mainland pandas make debut with Taiwan
public ahead of Lunar New Year
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Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou (R) visits
pandas with children at the Taipei Zoo in Taipei, southeast China's Taiwan
Province, Jan. 24, 2009. The panda pair given by the Chinese mainland to
Taiwan made their debut at the Taipei Zoo Saturday evening, meeting a
select group of visitors including Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou and
Kuomintang Honorary Chairman Lien Chan. (Xinhua/Li Kai)
Photo
Gallery>>>
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TAIPEI, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) -- The panda pair given by the Chinese mainland
to Taiwan made their debut at the Taipei Zoo Saturday evening, meeting a select
group of visitors including Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou and Kuomintang Honorary
Chairman Lien Chan.
"It's an honor for Taiwan to breed the two pandas,
as there are only about 1,600 pandas in the world," said Ma, at the ceremony to
inaugurate the new enclosure for the pandas. Full story
Mainland pandas to meet Taiwan public
on Lunar New Year
TAIPEI, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Two giant pandas given by the Chinese mainland to
Taiwan will go on public display on Monday, after completing a month-long
quarantine period, said the Taipei zoo Friday.
Quarantine staff had examined the pandas'
temperatures daily since their arrival on Dec. 23, said zoo spokesman Jason S.C.
Chin. Full story
