The mainland unveiled Friday the two giant pandas to be
presented to?Taiwan as gifts.
The panda couple, namely No.19 (male) and No.16 (female), was
selected from 23 candidates raised?at Wolong's China
Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda
(CCRCGP)?in the southwestern province of Sichuan, said Cao
Qingyao, a spokesperson for the State Forestry Administration, at a
press conference.
No.19, first son of the US-returned star panda "Hua Mei," is one
year and four months old, weighing 46 kg and his lover No.16 is one
month older than him, weighing 48 kg, said Cao, adding the final
selection was based on a three-month "trial marriages"?that
test whether the couple could fit each other.
"The panda experts were very, very cautious during the
selection. So I can say No.19 and No.16 are the best choice," he
said.
"We hope the couple can go to Taiwan as soon as possible and the
Taiwan authorities can follow the wishes of the people on?both
sides of the Taiwan Straits, providing active cooperation on this
issue," Dai Xiaofeng, head of the exchange bureau?with the
State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office, said today.
"We also hope the Taiwan authorities can authorize an
organization?that will be responsible for discussing affairs
about the panda couple with wildlife protection departments on the
mainland," Cao said.
In addition, the mainland began to solicit pet names for the two
giant pandas.
An ideal name will consist of two Chinese characters and fully
embody the aspiration of Chinese compatriots across the Taiwan
Straits, Cao said.
Chinese compatriots on both sides of the Straits, overseas
Chinese and all friendly personages are welcome to mull names for
the panda couple, he said.
The China Wildlife Conservation Association will be responsible
for the name mulling project, which will last from now until 8
PM?on January 20.
"We'll shortlist 10 pairs of names?that will be publicized
at the
Spring Festival gala broadcast by China Central Television on
January 28, the eve of the Chinese Lunar New Year," Cao
said.?"The couple will be given the names that receive most
votes from TV viewers."
Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Affairs Office, announced
last May that the mainland would present a pair of giant pandas to
Taiwan as a symbol of peace, unity and friendship.
The panda selection standards included physiology, psychology,
behavior, looks, genetics and age, said Zhang Hemin, director of
the CCRCGP and head of the nine-member expert group in charge of
the selection work.
"First, we should make sure that the two?are not?close
relatives and then consider that the couple can breed babies in
Taiwan," Zhang said.?"So their age should be one to four as
giant pandas usually get sexually mature at the age of four to
five."
Some leading zoologists from Taiwan have also been invited to
Wolong to discuss technical issues on panda breeding, he said.
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
mainland by the end of 2005.
(Xinhua News Agency January 6, 2006)
