| Species | Giant Panda |
|---|---|
| Born | September 1, 2004 Wolong National Nature Reserve, People’s Republic of China |
| Died | November 19, 2022 (aged 18) Taipei Zoo, Republic of China |
| Cause of death | Gemistocytic astrocytoma[1] |
| Species | Giant Panda |
|---|---|
| Born | August 31, 2004 Wolong National Nature Reserve, People’s Republic of China |
Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan were two giant pandas that were gifted by the People's Republic of China (PRC, mainland China) to the Republic of China (ROC, Taiwan) in 2008 as part of a cultural exchange program. The idea was first proposed in 2005, but the previous ROC administration in Taipei had initially refused to accept the pandas.
After elections that resulted in a change of president and the government in 2008, the ROC government accepted the pandas, and they arrived on December 23, 2008. One of the most significant positive cross-strait relations in the early 21st century, the two names were selected by a vote in the PRC and their combination, Tuan Yuan, means "reunion" (simplified Chinese: 团圆; traditional Chinese: 團圓; pinyin: Tuán Yuán) in the Chinese language. The pandas are housed at Taipei Zoo and have been exhibited to the public since the 2009 Chinese New Year. One of the pandas, Tuan Tuan, died in November 2022.