page_title: Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan
section_title: Arrival in Taiwan and reaction
hierarchical_section_title: Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan / Arrival in Taiwan and reaction
caption_attribution_description: English: Giant panda in Taipei Zoo
context_page_description: Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan are two giant pandas that were sent by mainland China to Taiwan in 2008 as part of an exchange program. The exchange idea was first proposed in 2005, but the previous administration in Taiwan had refused to accept the pandas. After elections that resulted in a change of presidents in 2008, Taipei accepted the pandas, and they arrived in Taiwan on December 23, 2008. The two names were selected by a vote in the PRC and their combination, Tuan Yuan, means "reunion" in Chinese. The pandas are being housed at Taipei Zoo and have been exhibited to the public since the 2009 Chinese New Year.
context_section_description: Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan arrived in Taiwan aboard an EVA Air flight on December 23, 2008, and were transported to Taipei Zoo. The arrival of the pandas was met with intense public attention, described by the press as "Pandamania", with the pandas becoming instant celebrities. A variety of merchandise has already appeared, with even buses redecorated in panda-themed livery.
  At the same time, there has also been political controversy. The opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) continues to see the pandas as a propaganda move by Beijing. They have appealed to their supporters not to visit the pandas.
caption: Tuan Tuan at Taipei Zoo
exif: {}