It didn’t take long for the gift of two pandas from China to Taiwan to become politicised. For a couple of days after the rumour of the gift started, everyone was happily thinking up names for the future inhabitants of Taipei Zoo (thoughts of naming them after Lien Chan ‘連連’ & ‘戰戰’ was quickly halted when people realised that naming a “peace gift” ‘War War’ might not be that clever). However, as soon as the offer was officially announced, political doubts raised their head:

The Council of Agriculture (COA) will act according to the law and professionally assess without regard to political considerations whether Taiwan can adequately care for the pandas that China has offered as gifts to the Taiwanese people.

Lee noted that the panda is an animal protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITIES), and according to its regulations, the export and import of pandas requires permits from the organization.

Now here’s the problem: Taiwan is not a member of CITES, because CITES (being affiliated with the UN) only recognises China (i.e. the PRC). So, CITES would not view this as an international trade – and the PRC obviously wouldn’t. So, will the relevant permits be signed?

The other issue raised has been whether ‘panda diplomacy’ is a good thing:

The Environmental & Animal Society of Taiwan (EAST), along with 30 groups from the private sector, urged politicians from China and Taiwan to stop using rare animals as bargaining chips on the diplomatic table.
[…]
Forcing the animals to leave their natural habitat is an act of physical abuse to the animals disguised under a veil of good intentions, stressed EAST. The majority of animals placed on display in zoos are for the sole purpose of entertainment for the public, the organization added.

They have a point – should creatures facing extinction be used in this way? Unfortunately, they completely undermine their whole argument in the same article:

The upkeep for a pair of giant pandas entails a huge cost, said EAST. Countries that receive them as “gifts” are obligated to donate US$1 million per head to China’s giant panda conservation fund annually. Aside from the huge contribution the island will be obliged to pay, the maintenance fee for keeping the pandas is approximately NT$50 million a year, EAST claimed.

So, this animal preservation society is complaining about the idea of spending money on panda conservation, as well as complaining about the amount of money that will be spent treating the pandas in the zoo properly …