Taiwan rejected the offer of two pandas from the mainland on Friday in the latest sign of a hardening attitude.

Two pandas play at the China Giant Panda Research Centre in Wolong, Southwest China's Sichuan Province in this undated photo. The pair has been chosen as a goodwill gift to the Taiwan compatriots, the State Forestry Administration said Friday. [Xinhua]

Beijing first offered the animals last spring when Taiwanese opposition leader Lien Chan visited mainland. The offer was part of a Beijing's effort to strengthen Taiwanese support for uniting with the mainland.

Taiwan's "Council of Agriculture" announced Friday that they were unable to accept the animals because they would not receive proper care on the island as requested by animal protection laws and international agreements.

"Under present circumstances, we cannot accept the pandas coming to Taiwan," Forestry Bureau vice chairman Lee Tao-sheng told reporters after final discussions by a panel of experts.

Lee said applications to house the pandas from the Taipei City Zoo and the Leofoo Village Theme Park, located in the northern city of Kuanhsi, didn't focus enough on research and education.

"The current plans to exhibit and strengthen the teaching of wildlife protection are not concrete enough," Lee said, without elaborating.

The pandas earmarked for Taiwan were picked from 11 animals at the Wolong Nature Reserve in southwestern Sichuan province. They were named Tuantuan and Yuanyuan, from the word "tuanyuan" which means "reunion."

Taiwan "President" Chen Shui-bian, a strong supporter of a separate identity for the island, is against the offer, fearing the pair of cute animals would stir up pro-unification sentiments inside the island. 

In a statement on the "presidential" Web site last week, Chen said the pandas would not be happy living in Taiwan and called on Beijing to step up conservation efforts for the animals.

A united media survey made within the island last year shows 73 percent of Taiwanese are eager to see a real panda, while another 20 percent do not care. 

Beijing estimates that 1,590 pandas live in the wild in the country, with another 183 in zoos and breeding centers.