CHENGDU, Dec. 22 (Chinese media) -- People in China's
Sichuan Province are saying goodbye to a pair of pandas that are headed for
Taiwan on Tuesday.
"I am reluctant to let them leave here," said Wang
Xiaofang, owner of a shop only several hundred meters away from the Bifeng Gorge
Giant Panda Base.
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. People in China's Sichuan Province
are saying goodbye to a pair of pandas that are headed for Taiwan on
Tuesday.(Chinese media Photo)
Photo Gallery
It has been home to Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan since
they were transferred on June 18 from the Wolong Nature Reserve, also in
Sichuan, after the May 12 earthquake.
"Their departure for Taiwan represents the mainland
people's wishes to promote cross-Strait relations," said Wang. "I hope they will
bring goodwill to Taiwan."
The four-year-old animals will be housed at the
Taipei Mucha Zoo. The mainland announced in May 2005 it would donate two giant
pandas to Taiwan to demonstrate its goodwill. However, their departure has been
delayed for more than three years.
"I have been paying great attention to the news about
Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan every day," said Yu Yong, a resident of Sichuan's
capital, Chengdu.
Yu said he would say goodbye to pandas by watching a
live broadcast on TV when they depart.
Some local netizens also expressed their wishes for
the pair.
"I hope you have a good life there. Perhaps I will
come to Taiwan to see you in the near future," read a message left by netizen
Baguobuyi.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment