He Yongnian, director of the Cross-Straits Center for the Exchange of Seismological Science and Technology, called on January 16 for closer cooperation between seismological agencies across the Taiwan Straits to help both sides find ways to reduce losses caused by earthquakes.

He said at a press conference that both China's mainland and Taiwan are located on major seismological belts.

Earthquakes pose a serious threat to life and property on each side of the Taiwan Straits and threaten their economic growth and social progress, said He, who will lead a 12-member delegation to Taiwan tomorrow for a seminar on swapping seismological information between the two sides.

People from all walks of life on the mainland are deeply concerned about the earthquake which devastated Taiwan on September 21, He said. Chinese seismologists have closely followedthe trend of earthquake development, because such a big earthquakeis likely to alter earth crust stress range in Taiwan, Taiwan Straits as well as coastal areas in southeast China, He said.

The mainland has gained a vast store of earthquake experience as a result of a dozen powerful tremors in the past 30 years. "We would like to pass on our experience and lessons drawn from previous earthquakes to our counterparts in Taiwan so that they can effectively reduce the losses bought on by earthquakes," he said.

Meanwhile, he said, seismologists on the mainland are aware that their colleagues in Taiwan have attained high levels in some areas in seismological science and technology.

The Cross-Straits Center for the Exchange of Seismological Science and Technology was founded in October of 1998 with the aim of promoting exchanges on seismological science and technology between two sides of the Straits. The center has carried out numerous programs in the past year.

Experts from both sides will attend a seminar on earthquake prevention and disaster reduction in Fuzhou this May.