China Renews Giant Panda Offer To Receptive Taiwan

From Reuters:

China seeks to renegotiate with Taiwan a twice-rejected donation of two giant pandas, a token of Beijing’s quest to unify with the self-ruled island that it sees as its own, an official newspaper said on Friday.

A deal looks likely this time, as Taiwan president-elect Ma Ying-jeou indicated shortly after his March 22 election victory that he would accept China’s signature animals in a series of measures to normalize ties with China.

Taiwan’s current government, led by a president who seeks more independence from China, has rejected the pandas twice since the offer was first made in 2005.