They survived the great China earthquake, and now they are about to embark on a mission of peace and unity. It's a busy time for these animals when it comes to panda diplomacy. The two giant pandas "Tuan Tuan" and "Yuan Yuan", together their names mean "unite", are on their way from their zoo in Chengdu to Taiwan as a goodwill gift from Beijing and a sign of improving ties between the two countries.
The two pandas mark a key stage in China's often fraught relations with Taiwan. They were turned down by an anti-Chinese president two years ago, but as relations thaw, this winter they are on their way.
Earlier China and Taiwan resumed transport links with daily flights and new shipping routes in an effort to establish a rapprochement with the island nation that China has long claimed as its own.
In the past, China has given goodwill pandas to nine countries, including Japan, North Korea and the former Soviet Union. President Richard Nixon took one home with him after his groundbreaking trip to China in 1972.
The two four-year-old pandas are lucky to be alive. Their sanctuary at Wolong in Sichuan province was destroyed by the earthquake last May, in which more than 80,000 people died.
Pandas can only be found in the wild in China where they are slowly emerging from the brink of extinction. The two big bundles of fur that make up this charm offensive departed on the two-hour trip to Taiwan. In their luggage, a healthy supply of steamed corn buns and fresh bamboo. In preparation for a bumpy ride, they also had a supply of airsick pills.
Their arrival was covered live in Taiwan. The country's newest celebrities will spend a month in quarantine before taking up residence in Taipei in their very own ten-million-dollar zoo extension. The pair of pandas are expected to attract three millions visitors a year. They'll be formally presented to the nation in the Chinese New Year Festivities next month.
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