Multiple countries offer support for Taiwan after the Hualien earthquake

Taipei, April 3 (CNA) World leaders and officials from several governments have expressed solidarity and offered assistance to Taiwan after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck off the country’s eastern coast on Wednesday morning.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida extended his “sincere condolences” to victims of the quake, and expressed the hope that “all our friends in Taiwan are safe.”

Kishida highlighted the help Japan had received from “our important friend” Taiwan in the wake of the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami in 2011 and the major earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula earlier this year.

“Now, it’s our island neighbor who is facing difficult circumstances, and Japan is willing to provide Taiwan with any necessary assistance,” Kishida said.

Laura Rosenberger, chair of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), opened a meeting in Taipei with Legislative Speaker Han Kuo-yu (韓國瑜) Wednesday by saying she hoped “everyone will be okay” and that “we will hear good news” as Taiwan’s emergency services continue to help people and assess the damage in Hualien and elsewhere.

“As a close friend of Taiwan, our thoughts are always with the Taiwan people in times like this,” Rosenberger said.

Meanwhile, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office issued a statement expressing its “sincere condolences” to “Taiwan compatriots” following the earthquake.

The office added that it will continue to closely follow developments in Taiwan and is willing to provide any necessary assistance.

Several of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies also weighed in with expressions of their concern and support in the hours after the earthquake.

In a post on X, Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo said he wanted to “express our closeness” to the people of the Republic of China (Taiwan) following the earthquake, and offered condolences to each affected family and the government.

“All our solidarity and support to the government and people of the sister Republic of China (Taiwan) in this difficult moment. Today more than ever we ratify our support,” Paraguayan President Santiago Pena posted.

Elsewhere around the world, David Eby, premier of the Canadian province of British Columbia, said in a social media post that his thoughts were with “the people of Taiwan and everyone who has friends and family there.”

“I know all British Columbians stand with the Taiwanese community during this difficult time,” he added.

(By Lee Ya-wen, Cheng Ai-fen, Fan Chung-hsiang and Matthew Mazzetta)

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