The Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council has offered to send rescue teams and assistance following the Hualien earthquake. Its minister Zhang Zhijun spoke on the phone to Hualien County Magistrate Fu Kun-chi, sending his condolences to those affected by the quake. Fu expressed thanks and said he would be in touch with the Taiwan Affairs Office. Meanwhile, messages of condolences by people on the mainland have gone viral on the web. Netizens posted well wishes on social media, praying that everyone in Taiwan is safe and sound.