Mainland´s panda pair leave for Taiwan

Source: Xinhua | 12-23-2008 15:50

CHENGDU, Sichuan, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- A pair of giant pandas offered by the Chinese mainland to Taiwan left here on Tuesday for the island.

A pair of giant pandas offered by the Chinese mainland to  Taiwan left here on Tuesday for the island.

The plane with the pandas, Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan, took off at 2:20 p.m. at the Shuangliu Airport in Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan.

The flight is expected to reach Taipei at around 5 p.m.

A send-off ceremony was held at the airport.

"Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan will sow the seeds of peace, solidarity and friendship on Taiwan's soil, with the good wishes of the 1.3 billion mainland compatriots," said Mainland's State Council Taiwan Affairs Office Deputy Director Zheng Lizhong, at the ceremony.

The four-year-old pandas will be housed in the Taipei city Zoo.

Seventeen Nyssaceae seedlings, a gift for Taiwan from the Qiangethnic group in Wenchuan County of Sichuan, were also on board the plane.

Editor:Zhang Ning