Pandas Place

A pair of giant pandas arrived in Taiwan on Tuesday as a gift from rival China, another symbolic step forward in the two sides’ rapidly improving relations. (Dec. 23)

Two giant pandas have arrived in Taiwan from mainland China on 23 Dec 2008, a gift from Beijing to a self-governing island it considers part of Chinese territory.

Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan are China’s newest Panda diplomats. Say their names together in Chinese and it means unite. China’s government wants to win friends in Taiwan. It knows that the pandas will be a hugely popular tourist attraction once they arrive at Taipei zoo.

The exchange is a sign of gradually warming ties between China and Taiwan. The island’s new president accepted the offer of the two pandas after he was elected in May. His predecessor had refused them.

A major earthquake this year in China had a lasting impact on the population of giant pandas, killing at least one of the animals—plus five people who had been working to preserve the species.

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These giant pandas are brothers and love to play fight. Couldn’t resist writing some giant panda kung fu fighting music Shot at Chengdu Panda Research Base, China, in June 2008. Pandas rock!

Baby giant pandas playing at Wolong Nature Preserve.

Watch mother and daughter eating some crunchy bamboo together. Look at the size of some of the Bamboo panda cub Su Lin is able to tackle. The two of them really seem to be enjoying this particular bamboo.

A short demonstration of an experimental piece to come.

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Viral TV advert for a conservation group dedicated to saving giant pandas. Shows a killer whale catching and playing with a seal cub.