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Post by con's fly is open on Mar 31, 2006 20:59:37 GMT 7
  Taiwan rejects offer of pandas from China; says unable to give proper care 08:10:34 EST Mar 31, 2006 TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) - Taiwan rejected the offer of two pandas from rival China on Friday in the latest sign of a hardening attitude toward its communist neighbour. Beijing first offered the animals last spring when Taiwanese opposition leader Lien Chan visited China. The offer was part of a Chinese effort to strengthen Taiwanese support for uniting with the mainland, from which Taiwan split amid civil war in 1949. The government's Council of Agriculture announced Friday Taiwan was unable to accept the animals because they would not receive proper care on the island as requested by animal protection laws and international agreements. "Under present circumstances, we cannot accept the pandas coming to Taiwan," Forestry Bureau vice chairman Lee Tao-sheng told reporters after final discussions by a panel of experts. Lee said applications to house the pandas from the Taipei City Zoo and the Leofoo Village Theme Park, located in the northern city of Kuanhsi, didn't focus enough on research and education. "The current plans to exhibit and strengthen the teaching of wildlife protection are not concrete enough," Lee said, without elaborating. The pandas earmarked for Taiwan were picked from 11 animals at the Wolong Nature Reserve in southwestern Sichuan province. They were named Tuantuan and Yuanyuan, from the word "tuanyuan" which means "reunion." Taiwan's President Chen Shui-bian and his supporters have repeatedly denounced China's offer as a propaganda ploy designed to camouflage its threats to attack Taiwan. Chen is a strong supporter of a separate identity for the island, while the opposition supports eventual unification. Rejection of the pandas comes after Chen in February angered Beijing by scrapping a body in charge of unification with the mainland. Last week, the government announced stricter supervision of trade and tourism links with China. In a statement on the presidential website last week, Chen said the pandas would not be happy living in Taiwan and called on Beijing to step up conservation efforts for the animals in China. China estimates that 1,590 pandas live in the wild in the country, with another 183 in zoos and breeding centres.
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Post by George61 on Mar 31, 2006 21:11:31 GMT 7
 Isn't Taiwan part of China?? What, no bamboo?
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gengrant
SuperBarfly! 
Hao, Bu Hao?
Posts: 1,818
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Post by gengrant on Apr 1, 2006 1:29:03 GMT 7
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Decurso
Barfly
Things you own end up owning you
Posts: 581
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Post by Decurso on Apr 1, 2006 2:24:30 GMT 7
The way most Chinese people treat animals is a disgace.People here have no respect for animals.
Nuff said..I'll keep it short and sweet.
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Post by Rylee on Apr 14, 2006 10:41:24 GMT 7
"Tuantuan" and "Yuanyuan"...
Geez, the Chinese are as subtle as bulls in a china shop.
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Post by Mr Nobody on Apr 30, 2006 5:58:20 GMT 7
Some of my students came to me really angry with something they saw on TV where foreigners said that Taiwan was not part of China (A korean?) Anyway, I told them "Yes, it is separate." They said no, I said, "Look, you can't just go there, like you can to anywhere in China, even north Korea or vietnam, but you need a passport and need a visa to go to Taiwan, therefore it is a separate country, by international agreement. You need a passport to go from Taiwan to enter China, so even China says it is a separate country."
They said oohhhh......
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motis
Barfly
This is my personal text. There are many like it, but this text is mine!
Posts: 84
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Post by motis on May 1, 2006 10:28:33 GMT 7
I'm not quite finished with it yet, but here's a pre-release version of a song I am working on with my international Usenet-based band, the INTERROBANG CARTEL. It's called I SAW A PANDA, and features my fiancee, the lovely Miss Daci Fabulous, on vocals (she was telling me about something she saw on TV, and I sneakily started recording her without telling her). www.spaceroom.org/music/Interrobang/ISawAPandaWithLead.mp3Final mix will be done soon. |
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Post by joe on May 1, 2006 11:45:50 GMT 7
A telling and poignant cultural observation, from a beginning in wonderment to a conclusion in knowledge, a modern Chinese story of apples and Eve. Bravo! |
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motis
Barfly
This is my personal text. There are many like it, but this text is mine!
Posts: 84
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Post by motis on May 1, 2006 19:07:57 GMT 7
The final version is now available! I think it's miles better than the version I posted about yesterday, you have a listen and see what you think: www.interrobangcartel.com/cgi-bin/ibc.pl?I_Saw_A_Panda(Info page with lyrics, background story, and links to .mp3 and .ogg recordings) |
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Post by gretch on May 8, 2006 18:50:17 GMT 7
The way most Chinese people treat animals is a disgace.People here have no respect for animals. I completely agree...so much that I tried to get a bum to sell me his monkey while in Suzhuo....Story pending..... |
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Post by Stil on May 8, 2006 18:53:25 GMT 7
I completely agree...so much that I tried to get a bum to sell me his monkey while in Suzhuo....Story pending..... Couldn't find a pink lights area for girls eh Gretch? |
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Post by Mr Nobody on May 9, 2006 6:30:40 GMT 7
Yeah, had some reaction when I showed Mrs N behind the scenes of the cute monkeys and elephants performace at the local zoo. She wondered why I wasn't impressed. We walked behind where they were training them. Now she agrees. She just never noticed it before.
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Post by gretch on May 9, 2006 14:37:13 GMT 7
Your right Mr. N, that  is not impressive, but sad. In this case, the bum (who was panhandling) had a monkey on a leash, under which was scared and inflamed skin (along w/ other parts of his body). The monkey was grasping at the lead with both hands as this cold hearted prick was swinging him around as he turned. I asked him "How much for the monkey". After looking at me like I was insane he started to walk away, then I followed him, and kept asking....but finally gave up. I then followed up with a few verbal (Chinese and physical) pleasantries to send him on his way  Besides, I would have been homeless too: even the wonderful boss here has his limits ;D. That's the first time I've had a bum try to get away from me. The look in that monkeys eyes is still in my head........ |
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Post by brickerage on May 14, 2006 14:34:36 GMT 7
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