The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council held a regular press conference on the morning. Spokesman Yang Yi said Taiwan has offered great help for China's quake-hit areas.

Yang Yi said, "The earthquake disaster has received high concern from Taiwan. The Chinese Kuomintang Central Committee expressed concern in a letter to Chinese Communist Party Central Committee. Mr Lien Chan, Mr Ma Ying-jeou, Chairman of the People's First Party Song Chu-yu, Chairman of New Party Yok Mu-ming also conveyed condolences. The Taipei-based Straits Exchange Foundation has written to the ARATS twice to express their concern, and said they are willing to send search and rescue team with special rescue capabilities to the Chinese mainland for relief works. And Taiwan Red Cross showed their concern through China Red Cross and planned to donate 300,000 US Dollars."

At around half past two Wednesday morning, an earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale hit Taitung city in southeastern Taiwan.

(CCTV May 14, 2008)