Pandas ready for Taiwan journey

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Source: CCTV.com | 12-20-2008 12:29

With just 3 days left before they depart for Taiwan, a pair of giant pandas in Sichuan Province are getting ready for the journey. Authorities on both sides of the Taiwan Straits are working to ensure they have a safe and comfortable trip.

As Tuantuan and Yuanyuan prepare for their one-way  journey to the island, the timetable for Tuesday is  already well arranged.

As Tuantuan and Yuanyuan prepare for their one-way journey to the island, the timetable for Tuesday is already well arranged.

The new direct flights across the Straits will make their trip shorter and more comfortable. The State Forestry Administration says the pandas will board their special jet on Tuesday morning, after an hour's journey from their breeding base in Ya'an to the airport in Chengdu. It will then take them two hours to fly to Taipei.

Cao Qingyao, spoesman of State Forestry Administration, said, "A welcoming team and a Boeing 747 jet from Eva Air will be sent to receive the pandas in Chengdu. The mainland will also send a team including panda keepers to accompany them throughout the whole journey. A strong team is in place on both sides of the Straits. We can't wait for the historic moment."