Taiwan animal researchers have a photo taken with a panda in Wolong Panda Nature Reserve in southwest China, August, 27. (Xinhua photo)

Holding a panda in his arms, Hong Wen-dong, an animal expert from Taipei, couldn't hold back his childlike enthusiasm at the Wolong Nature Reserve in Southwest China's Sichuan Province.

"Taiwan people have dreamed of introducing a giant panda from the mainland for many years," said Hong.

Hong, head of a 17-member Taiwan delegation, made the remarks on Saturday at a cross-Straits meeting attended by mainland forestry officials, panda experts and 17 animal researchers from Taiwan to discuss issues pertaining to the gifted pandas to Taiwan from Wolong.

The issues covered included the panda house, pandas' breeding technology, disease prevention and treatment, their daily life and reproduction.

The Chinese mainland announced plans to send giant pandas to Taiwan following the mainland visit of the island's opposition Kuomintang Party Chairman Lien Chan in May.

Taiwanese compatriots are eager to see the pandas arrive. A recent opinion poll conducted by the Taipei-based Association of Friends of Zoos, which is headed by Hong, showed that 99 per cent of people on the island welcomed the arrival of pandas from the mainland, Hong said.

A panda house is being built at Taipei Zoo, he added.

The house is expected to be completed at the end of this year. If the pandas arrive in Taiwan next March, locals could see them as early as next June, he said.

Meanwhile, a DNA paternity testing for candidate pandas is being carried out at Wolong, in order to avoid inbreeding between the pair of pandas to be sent to Taiwan, according to Zhang Hemin, chief of the Wolong Nature Reserve Administrative Bureau.

"It is our hope that the pair will not only bring joy to Taiwanese compatriots, but also give birth to healthy babies in Taiwan," he said.

To ensure that a female panda in rut can become pregnant, experts in the Wolong-based China Conservation and Research Centre for Giant Pandas will use artificial insemination in addition to natural methods.

The result of the tests will be available very soon and then the pandas to be sent to Taiwan will be determined, he said.

As experts from both the mainland and Taiwan were worried whether the two pandas would adapt to the climate in Taiwan, Zhang said that more co-operation and exchanges in this field was needed in the future.

"Mainland experts hope that they can visit the panda house in Taiwan before its construction is completed so that they can make suggestions," he said.

His view was endorsed by Hong who welcomed mainland experts to Taiwan.

As a habitat of the giant panda, Wolong spends around 100,000 yuan (US$12,376) on a panda each year. The cost in Taiwan is predicted to be higher.