By Rich Chang Staff reporter, with CNA
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) legislators said yesterday that they would sue government officials for corruption “if they dare to accept the gift of pandas from China.”
Beijing offered Taiwan two pandas during former Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) chairman Lien Chan’s (連戰) trip to China in 2005.
PHOTO: LIU HSIN-DE, TAIPEI TIMES
The government of former president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) nixed the idea because China considered the offer of pandas a “domestic transfer” between zoos. However, the Council of Agriculture approved the importing of the animals shortly after President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) took office on May 20.
Noting that the importing of pandas is subject to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), DPP legislative whip Chang Hwa-kuan (張花冠) told a press conference that “if any government officials dares accept the pandas as a gift, the DPP caucus will file suit against them for corruption and inappropriate acceptance of gifts.”
Pandas are listed as an Appendix I animal in CITES, which is an agreement between governments to ensure that the trading of wild animals and plants do not hurt these species’ prospects for survival. Animals and plants listed in Appendix I are those under the threat of extinction and are prohibited from being traded commercially.
“Although pandas are cute, Taiwan must not lose its sovereignty over the pandas,” Chang said.
DPP Department of Culture and Information Director Cheng Wen-tsang (鄭文燦) said China is using the tactic of offering Taiwan the pandas to convince the international community that Taiwan is part of China’s territory.
Legislative Speaker Wang Jin-pyng (王金平) suggested yesterday that the government deal with the panda issue with more “flexibility,” adding that whether the nation’s sovereignty would be an issue if the pandas came to Taiwan depended on “how everyone handled it.”
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Legislator Lin Yu-fang (林郁方) said: “Under the Constitution, China is also part of the Republic of China. There is nothing wrong with us receiving the pandas as a gift.”
Meanwhile, Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) Chairwoman Lai Shin-yuan (賴幸媛) refused to respond to reports yesterday that Chen Yunlin (陳雲林), president of China’s Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait, hopes to visit Taiwan and bring along the pandas.
“It’s too early to talk about the matter, because the date for the second round of cross-strait talks has not even been set,” Lai said.
Local media reported that Chen said he hoped that he could come to Taiwan with the two pandas aboard the same charter flight.
ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY FLORA WANG
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