BEIJING -- A mainland spokesperson on Thursday extended gratitude to people in Taiwan for expressing their concern and sympathy for the quake-hit Luding county in Sichuan province.

Zhu Fenglian, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said that people from all walks of life in Taiwan had expressed their condolences to the quake-hit region, while Taiwanese business people and enterprises donated money and supplies.

The mainland is grateful for their efforts, said Zhu.

Luding county was jolted by a 6.8-magnitude earthquake on Sept 5. As of Tuesday, the quake had caused 74 deaths.