Choosing nicknames for a pair of pandas earmarked as a gift from the mainland to the people of Taiwan has attracted the involvement of thousands through online and newspaper polling.

As is usual for gifts of pandas from mainland China, destination authorities will choose their official names, but nicknames will be chosen by the donor, according to the State Forestry Administration (SFA).

39, 142 people cast online votes in a poll by Sina.com.cn that ended yesterday, with nearly 2,800 backing the favorites Tuan Tuan and Yuan Yuan, which together mean "reunion."

The names also won support in surveys conducted by newspapers in Chengdu, capital of the pandas' native province of Sichuan in the southwest.

Sina.com.cn registered 15,533 ideas for nicknames, and Chengdu Evening News said they had received more than 2,000.

Other popular choices included: He He and Ping Ping (which together mean "peace"); Lu Lu and Wan Wan ("mainland" and "Taiwan"); and Huan Huan and Le Le ("happiness").

"People aged above 30, especially those between 50 and 70, are most enthusiastic," said Zhang Yingsha of the Chengdu Evening News.

Last Thursday, State authorities expressed their wish for public involvement in nicknaming the pandas and the SFA authorized the China Wildlife Conservation Association to make the final decision, which will be based on the online and other media surveys.

"We plan to launch similar surveys on our websites in Taiwan, Hong Kong and North America and ask for more suggestions," said Liang Chunyuan, a chief editor of Sina.com.cn's news center, though 400 people from Taiwan had already participated in the online survey by 3:30 PM yesterday.

(China Daily June 6, 2005)