Mainland panda couple for Taiwan arrive in Chengdu

CHENGDU, Sichuan, Dec. 23 (Chinese media) -- A pair of giant pandas offered by the

Chinese mainland to Taiwan arrived in Chengdu, Sichuan's provincial capital, and

would fly to the island on Tuesday afternoon.

The pandas in metal crates arrived at the Shuangliu Airport in Chengdu at

around 10:55 a.m. after almost three-hour journey from Ya'an, where they lived.

They will board a Taiwan-bound plane at around 2 p.m. with a week's food,

animal experts and keepers from the mainland and Taiwan.

The four-year-old pandas, Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan, will be housed in a

four-story building at the Taipei city zoo.

Mainland panda pair leave for Taiwan

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. (Chinese media Photo)
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YA'AN, Sichuan, Dec. 23 (Chinese media) -- 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. Full story

Taipei zoo gears up to welcome

mainland panda pair

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.

(Chinese media Photo)
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TAIPEI, Dec. 18 (Chinese media) -- 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. (Chinese media/Chen

Xie)
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Mainland, Taiwan hold economic,

cultural forum

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. (Chinese media

Photo)
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SHANGHAI, Dec. 20 (Chinese media) -- 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

Chinese mainland, Taiwan start direct

links after 59 years

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. (Chinese media

Photo)
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BEIJING, Dec. 15 (Chinese media) -- 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

Chinese mainland, Taiwan start direct

postal service

TAIPEI, Dec. 15 (Chinese media) -- 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

Taiwan leader Ma Ying-Jeou witnesses

launch of direct shipping service to Chinese

mainland

TAIPEI, Dec. 15

(Chinese media) -- 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