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Panda pair for Taiwan unveiled, names solicited
(Xinhua/chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2006-01-06 10:38
The Chinese mainland unveiled Friday the two giant pandas for Taiwan
compatriots as a goodwill gift.
The panda couple, both one year old, were selected from 23 candidates raised
in the Wolong China Giant Panda Research Center in southwestern Sichuan
Province, said Cao Qingyao, spokesman of the State Forestry Administration at a
press conference in Beijing.
Two pandas play at
the China Giant Panda Research Centre in Wolong, Southwest China's
Sichuan Province in this undated photo. The pair has been chosen as a
goodwill gift to the Taiwan compatriots, the State Forestry Administration
said Friday. [Xinhua] |
The male panda, first son of the U.S.-returned star panda "Hua Mei", is one
year and four months old, weighing 46kg. His lover is one month older than him,
weighing 48kg, said Cao.
He added that the final selection was based on a three-month "trial
marriages" which test whether the couple could fit each other.
"The panda experts were very, very cautious during the selection. So I can
say they are the best choice," said the spokesman.
The pair, healthy both physically and mentally, has never suffered from any
illness since birth, and shows no abnormality in food-seeking, social and living
activities, according to the conference.
Amid worries about the couple's adaptability to the environment in
Taiwan, Cao revealed that they can best adapt to environment changes among the
candidates.
Officials expressed the hope for their early landing in Taiwan at the
conference.
"We hope the couple can meet the Taiwan compatriots as soon as possible and
the Taiwan authorities can follow the wishes of the people on the two sides of
the Taiwan Straits, providing active cooperation on this issue," said Dai
Xiaofeng, head of the exchange bureau of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State
Council.
"We also hope the Taiwan authorities can authorize an organization which will
be responsible for discussing affairs about the Taiwan-bound giant panda couple
with the wildlife protection departments on the Chinese mainland," said Cao
Qingyao.
The conference also kickstarted the soliciting of the couple's names
which are required to contain two Chinese characters.
A shortlist of ten will be announced at the China Central Television Spring
Festival party which will be live broadcasted nationwide January 28, officials
said.
The final two names will be subject to the result of a public vote.
Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of
China (CPC) Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State
Council, announced last May that the mainland would present a pair of giant
pandas to Taiwan compatriots as a symbol of peace, unity and friendship.
The giant panda is one of the world's most endangered species and is found
only in China. It is estimated that 1,590 giant pandas live wild in China and
those in captivity totaled 183 in the Chinese mainland by the end of 2005.
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