Mainland's Taiwan affairs chief expresses condolences over Taiwan quake again

BEIJING - Zhang Zhijun, the Chinese mainland's Taiwan affairs chief, on Monday conveyed condolences from leaders of the mainland to the victims of the strong earthquake that struck southern Taiwan more than a week ago.

The 6.7-magnitude quake hit Kaohsiung on Feb. 6, just two days ahead of the traditional Lunar New Year, leaving 116 dead, over 550 injured and huge property losses.

"The sudden loss of so many compatriots and the damage to so many homes grieve us greatly," Zhang said during a phone conversation with Taiwan's mainland affairs chief Andrew Hsia on Monday morning.

Following the powerful earthquake, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, and Premier Li Keqiang expressed their deepest sympathies to affected Taiwan compatriots and conveyed condolences to the victims while vowing aid.

The State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office and the mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) contacted Taiwan authorities immediately after the quake to offer help.

Many mainland-based institutions, enterprises, social groups and citizens have been closely following the situation and expressed their sympathies, including those affected by a deadly earthquake in Sichuan Province in 2008 who once received help from Taiwan.

The mainland's Buddhist and Taoist associations held prayer rituals in Beijing for the quake victims. ARATS donated 5 million yuan (769,000 U.S. dollars) to Taiwan, according to Zhang.

Zhang said compatriots across the Taiwan Strait are "a community of shared destiny who are attached by blood," and their support for each other has proved their close relationship as one family.

During the conversation, Hsia expressed his gratitude to concerns shown by leaders and people from various circles from the mainland.