There is plenty of concern in Taiwan for victims of the Sichuan earthquake. People there have been rallying together to offer their support.

19 tons of relief materials include blankets, tents and drinking water. This is the first large batch of goods sent by the people of Taiwan.

Gao Jinle, director of Chengdu Taiwan Compatriots' Investment Assoc, said, "We Chinese people are closely connected. And at a time of such calamity, we people in Taiwan are also very worried, so we sent relief materials as soon as we could."

On May 16th - four days after the earthquake, a 22-strong rescue team under the Red Cross arrived at Chengdu.

The team started work with a local rescue team the next day, in Mianzhu city's Hanwang Town.

On the 17th, a plane loaded with 110 tons of relief materials from Taiwan landed at Chengdu. The materials, including food, tens and sleeping bags, are urgently needed by people in the quake stricken regions.

On May 18th, a special charity gala was held in Taipei for the quake victims. The quake reminded many people of the devastating quake that rocked Taiwan back in 1999, and they want to show their compassion in the best way they can.

Donations by Taiwan compatriots and business people based in Mainland China have reached over 700 million yuan.

On May 20th, another chartered plane carrying three dozen rescue workers and more relief materials from the Taiwan Red Cross arrived in Chengdu. They set out for quake-stricken Deyang city right away.

Chen Changwen, leader of Taiwan Red Cross Rescue Team, said, "There's not a whole lot that 37 people can do, but the care and love we've brought to people here represents that of the 23 million people back in Taiwan. We have collected plenty of relief supplies and we'll continue our efforts to collect more."

Many mainland factories owned by Taiwan investors have voluntarily extended their work hours to produce more sleeping bags, tents, quilts and umbrellas.

Factory owners say the devastating earthquake has drawn people on both sides of the Straits even closer together.

(CCTV May 29, 2008)