Two giant pandas, gifted by the mainland to Taiwan in 2005, will travel to the island after its agricultural body gave permission to the Taipei zoo to accept them.

The announcement by the island's agricultural council clears the way for Tuantuan and Yuanyuan, which mean reunion in Chinese, to travel to Taiwan.

The "agricultural council" said a panel of experts chose the Mucha Zoo in Taipei to house the pandas over the Leofoo Safari Park in Hsinchu after a field inspection on their qualifications and ability to feed them.

The Mucha Zoo could now apply for import and quarantine licenses from Taiwan authorities and then discuss the acceptance issue with the mainland.

(China Daily/Xinhua August 15, 2008)