Mainland, Taiwan exchange gifts

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Source: CCTV.com | 11-06-2008 14:05

The Mainland and Taiwan have signed a deal to exchange rare plants and animals to mark warming ties.

Chinese dove trees are gifts from the Qiang ethnic minority  in Wenchuan, the epicenter of the May 12th earthquake in  Sichuan Province.

Chairman of the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait,or ARATS, Chen Yunlin has offered seeds of the Chinese dove tree and a pair of pandas. In return, the mainland is to receive rare wildlife native to Taiwan.

Visiting ARATS Chairman Chen Yunlin announced the Mainland's two gifts.

One is 17 seeds of the Chinese dove tree, an endangered flowering tree that grows on the Mainland only.

Chen says the plants are gifts from the Qiang ethnic minority in Wenchuan, the epicenter of the May 12th earthquake in Sichuan Province.

He says the seeds show the gratitude of Mainland compatriots, especially those in the quake zone, to the Taiwan compatriots for their generous donations and relief aid.