Green groups say no to China’s panda diplomacy – Jenny Chou

From Taipei Times,

As the selection of Taiwan’s pandas reaches its final stages in China, humanistic and environmental groups in Taiwan yesterday raised objections about Taiwan’s acceptance of the pandas, questioning whether China’s gesture is really one of goodwill and whether the pandas will improve ecological understanding in Taiwan.

Speaking of what China’s gesture might represent, Chu Tseng-hung (Êú±Â¢ûÂÆè), president of the Environment and Animal Society of Taiwan (East), said, “First, it may be a peacemaking gesture. Second, the zoo has emphasized that it is for research, protection and environmental education purposes. But we need to ask: How sincere is it as a symbol of peacemaking, and is it appropriate for research needs of Taiwan’s ecologists?”

Shortly after former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman, Lien Chan’s (ÈÄ£Êà∞) visit to China at the end of April this year, China offered Taiwan a pair of pandas as a gift, an offer which has raised much controversy.

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