Panda Diplomacy Finally Reaches Taiwan

China’s panda diplomacy means the practice of giving countries the rare animal as a token of peace and friendship. The most notable highlight of panda diplomacy is when Mao Zedong gave Richard Nixon the America’s first two panda bears in 1972 during Nixon’s visit to China. The pandas were so popular that 20,000 people visited the pandas the first day they were on display at the National Zoo in Washington, D. C.

In 2005, Mainland China offered two pandas to Taiwan during opposition party leader Lien Chan’s visit to China. While the idea was popular with the Taiwanese public, Taiwanese Prime Minister said he was unlikely to accept because to do so would acknowledge the PRC's “one China” position.

However, the relationship between China and Taiwan has slowly grown friendlier after the election of Taiwan President Ma Ying-Jeou. And Ma has accepted an offer from China, which plans to send two giant pandas to the Taipei Zoo. In return, The Taipei city zoo will donate the native sika deer, a critically endangered species, and a Formosan serow, a small but agile mountain goat that's also seldom seen anymore in Taiwan. The two pandas’ names put together mean “Unity” while goat and deer names mean “Forever”. The upcoming arrival of the pandas at Taipei Zoo has already caused a stir amongst the younger generations of the city who have expressed their fondness for the cuddly bears.

-Tony