Lien Chan, Honorary Chairman of the Chinese Kuomintang (KMT) Party, expressed concern in a telegram to Chinese President Hu Jintao on Tuesday for the quake-hit areas in southwestern province of Sichuan jolted by Monday's strong earthquake.

"On hearing about the devastating earthquake in Wenchuan, Sichuan Province, I was shocked and agonized by the loss of lives and property of my compatriots. People of the same blood on both sides of the Taiwan Straits are naturally bound together and share weal and woe," the telegram read.

Lien also pledged in his telegram to urge Taiwan to contribute to disaster-relief work to the affected areas.

Monday's quake, measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, hit Wenchuan County in Sichuan at 2:28 p.m., resulting in almost 10,000 known deaths so far.

Tremors were also reported in more than half of China's provinces and municipalities, the China Seismological Bureau said.

(Xinhua News Agency May 13, 2008)