General Secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee Hu Jintao meets with a delegation of ethnic minorities from Taiwan, headed by actor-turned-politician Kao Chin Su-mei in Beijing, Aug. 19, 2009.(Xinhua/Li Xueren)

"We share the same feeling with Taiwan compatriots, especially the ethnic minorities, who suffered serious life and property loss in the recent disaster. We are very much concerned," said Hu, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee.

Hu expressed deep sorrow and condolences for the typhoon victims to an actor-turned-politician Kao Chin Su-mei who leads her fellow ethnic minorities in Taiwan to visit the mainland.

As of noon Wednesday, 136 people were confirmed dead in Taiwan,45 injured and 386 missing. The death toll did not include 523 people who were buried under mudslides in two villages.

"The difficulties Taiwan compatriots are facing mean the same to us," Hu said. "We will continue helping them in rescue and relief as well as support them in rehabilitation."

The State Council Taiwan Affairs Office spokeswoman Fan Liqing said Wednesday at a press briefing that the mainland was "keen to lend a hand."

On Aug. 10 right after the typhoon swept the island, the Taiwan Work Office of the CPC Central Committee contacted the headquarters of Kuomintang, the island's ruling party, expressing the will of being ready to help.

So far the mainland has donated about 176 million yuan (26 million U.S. dollars) and 25 million yuan worth of disaster relief materials to Taiwan.

The first batch of prefab houses and 10,000 sleeping bags, 10,000 blankets and 1,000 sterilization appliances reached Kaohsiung Tuesday.

Taiwan leader Ma Ying-jeou on Tuesday expressed gratitude to the Chinese mainland and the international community for typhoon disaster relief aid.

The mainland also offered to send a civilian helicopter, rescue experts, medics and engineers to assist relief work even though Taiwan said these are not needed at the moment.

Spokeswoman Fan said, "The two sides can develop a mutual mechanism of disaster warning, rescue, relief and rehabilitation."

Based on existing cross-Strait seminars on weather forecast and disaster warning, the two sides can move forwards to share information and exchange experience, she said.

Ordinary people are a major force in raising fund for help. At a fund-raising stand in Chengdu, capital of southwestern Sichuan Province, a middle-aged man emptied his wallet and went to a nearby bank to withdraw more money for donation.

"We received help from Taiwan people. So when they need us, we should spare no efforts," the man said on condition of anonymity.

Sichuan received about 1.32 billion yuan and relief material worth 200 million yuan (29.27 million dollars) from Taiwan after it was hit by the 8.0-magnitude earthquake on May 12, 2008.

An online post, wooing donation to typhoon rescue and relief, has attracted more than 167,000 views since it was put on the popular mainland online community Tianya on Aug. 11.

"I broke into tears," said netizen Yusufliu, who saw pictures of Xiaolin village in Kaoshiung where 491 people were buried under the mudslides. "I really feel sorry for them," the netizen said. "Hope people in Taiwan can pull through this disaster as early as possible."

At the website of Phoenix TV, a netizen said in a post, "I am a migrant worker. I just learnt form the Internet that I could send short messages to donate money. I sent five messages, donating ten yuan. Don't laugh at me as I did not earn much."

The mainland and Taiwan, with a long feud after the civil war 60 years ago, saw warmer ties in the past year, featuring direct transportation, financial cooperation and more frequent exchange of visits.

CPC top leader Hu said, "People on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are of one family and Chinese people have a long tradition of lending a hand to those in danger and difficulties."