A group of 12 seismologists from the Chinese mainland is to leave for Taiwan tomorrow for a seminar on the exchange of seismological information and cooperation across the Taiwan Straits.

The group will be led by He Yongnian, director of the Across-Straits center for the exchange of seismological science and technology, it was announced at a press conference held here today.

The seismological departments and experts on the mainland concern themselves very much with the devastating earthquake that rocked Taiwan on September 21 last year. Then, the center sent a message of sympathy to its Taiwan counterpart shortly after the quake occurred and offered to dispatch an expert group to Taiwan to join their Taiwan colleagues in monitoring the aftershock trends.

The aim of the current visit by the seismologists from the mainland is to compare notes with their Taiwan colleagues on seismological science and technology and learn from each other's strong points in an effort to further lessen and even avoid the losses to be caused by future possible earthquakes at both sides of the Taiwan Straits to the minimum extent.

Members of the group include Chen Yuntai, an academician of theChinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), who is currently president of the board of the Seismology Society of China, Xie Lili, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), and experts on quake analysis and forecast, anti-shock engineering and engineering mechanics.

The seminar will run for two days and participants will go to inspect the site of the recent quake after the seminar.