Firefighters enter a collapsed building to search for earthquake survivors in Kaohsiung, epicenter of the 6.7 magnitude earthquake that jolted Taiwan at 3:57 am on Feb 6, 2016. [Photo provided by China Times to China Daily]

Mainland offers Taiwan quake help

While addressing a Chinese New Year gathering on Saturday morning, Premier Li Keqiang sent condolences to the victims of the disaster.

The mainland's Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits (ARATS) had been in contact with Taiwan's Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) since 6 a.m., around two hours after the quake. The ARATS sent a letter to the SEF offering rescue assistance if needed.

The State Council's Taiwan Affairs Office meanwhile said the mainland is ready to provide all necessary assistance in quake relief. Office head Zhang Zhijun said so far no mainland tourists in Taiwan have been affected in the quake.

The mainland's Red Cross Society has offered 2 million yuan (306,278 U.S. dollars) of disaster relief funds to Taiwan.