Taiwan president expresses condolences to China over Sichuan earthquake

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen offered her sympathy to China on Tuesday after an earthquake in Sichuan province and expressed her condolences to those who died and their families, in a sign of goodwill to Beijing despite weeks of military tensions.
China, which claims democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory despite the strong objections of the government in Taipei, has been carrying out drills around the island following a visit last month by U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Taiwan’s presidential office said Tsai had offered her “sympathy and concern” after Monday’s quake in southwestern China which has killed at least 46 people.
Apart from also expressing her condolences to those who had died and their families, Tsai hopes search and rescue and post-disaster recovery work can proceed smoothly and normal life resume as soon as possible, the office said in a statement. The office was not aware of any Taiwanese casualties, it
added.