Work to select two giant pandas as gifts of the Chinese mainland to Taiwan began Tuesday at the China Giant Pandas Research Center in Wolong, southwest China's Sichuan Province.

A nine-member expert group under the State Forestry Administration was formed at the Wolong center to take charge of the selection work.

Chen Yunlin, director of the Taiwan Work Office of Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, announced on May 3 that the mainland compatriots would present a pair of giant pandas to Taiwan compatriots.

Zhao Xuemin, deputy director of the State Forestry Administration, said on Tuesday the expert group will select a pair of healthy and lovely pandas from those living in the Wolong center for Taiwan compatriots.

Dai Xiaofeng, head of the exchange bureau of the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, congratulated the start-up of the selection work.

He said the announcement of presenting a pair of pandas to Taiwan was warmly welcomed by compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Straits. Surveys published by Taiwan media show that more than 70 percent of the respondents welcomed the coming of the giant pandas. The mainland has also made full preparations for selecting giant pandas to Taiwan, he said.

Dai expressed the hope that concerned department in Taiwan will cooperate and offer conveniences in presenting giant pandas as gifts to Taiwan compatriots.

The number of giant pandas in captivity totaled 163 in Chinese mainland by the end of last year, half of which live in the Wolong center. The number of wild pandas in China is more than 1,590.

The Wolong Nature Reserve, founded in 1963, is the largest panda protection zone in China. Covering 200,000 hectares, the nature reserve is world-renowned as the home for pandas.

(Xinhua News Agency August 9, 2005)