The conjoined twin baby girls who were separated eight days ago are doing well, according to medical officials.

The operation took place at the No 2 Hospital of the Chinese Medical Science University in northeast China's Liaoning Province.

"Now the two baby girls can breathe without the aid of a machine and they can also be fed some milk," said Professor Xue Xindong, head of the hospital's pediatrics department.

The twins were born at the No 1 People's Hospital in Lingyuan on April 21. Their parents are local farmers, who also have a 10-year-old daughter.

The twins were joined at the chest and abdomen, a total area of 60 square centimeters. They shared a liver but many of their organs were luckily separate, said Dr Wang Weilin, in charge of the operation.

It took doctors three hours to operate.

"Their situation is much better now and we are very happy to find their hearts are growing normally since the operation," said Wang.

(China Daily May 11, 2005)