(dpa) - Four Taiwan cities and counties are vying for the pair of giant pandas China has offered Taiwan now that president-elect Ma Ying-jeou has agreed to accept the popular endangered animals, press reports said Wednesday.
While the Taipei Zoo was the first to apply to receive the pair of pandas China offered in 2005, Taichung city, Hsinchu county and Hualien county also want the pandas to be displayed in their zoos or parks, the reports said.
Taiwan, under the leadership of independence-leaning President Hu Jintao, who leaves office May 20, rejected China's offer. The Council of Agriculture turned down the Taipei Zoo's application to receive the two pandas on the grounds that pandas are an endangered species and the zoo had not made adequate preparations for raising them.
Analysts, however, saw a political motive, saying they believe Taiwan did not want to import the pandas, which only live in the wild in China, for fear they would soften the Taiwan people's attitude toward the mainland.
But the situation changed after opposition leader Ma Ying-jeou won Saturday's presidential election.
At a news conference Sunday, Ma said he supported importing pandas from China. "The problem is now if we allow the pandas to come, too many cities and counties are fighting for this pair of pandas," he said.
In the competition, the Taipei government has insisted that priority should be given to the Taipei Zoo because it was the first to apply to import the panda pair; has built a Panda Hall; planted 6 hectares of bamboo, pandas' favourite and virtually only food; and has sent 20 staff to the San Diego Zoo in the United States to learn how to care for pandas.
"The Taipei Zoo is fully prepared to receive the pair of giant pandas," said Yang Hsiao-tung, spokesman for the Taipei government. "We hope the Council of Agriculture can approve the Taipei Zoo's application at its review meeting Thursday."
The two pandas offered to Taiwan live in a panda reserve in Sichuan Province. China has named them Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan. Tuanyuan mean unification.