Jakarta, Aug. 8 (CNA) A Jakarta-based organization representing Taiwanese businesses in Indonesia has joined the efforts of the Taiwan representative office here to collect donations for the victims of a deadly earthquake that jolted the island of Lombok on Sunday.
At least 105 people were killed in the magnitude 7 earthquake, which also shattered thousands of houses on Lombok, a popular tourist destination east of Bali and west of Sumbawa on Aug. 5. On July 29, 17 were killed in a magnitude 6.4 quake on the same island.
As reports of the damage and casualties from the quake emerged, Taiwanese businesspeople in Indonesia grew concerned, Lai Wei-hsin, chairman of the Taiwan Business Club, told CNA on Wednesday.
He said that as soon as the club learned of a donation drive launched by the Taipei Economic and Trade Office (TECO) in Indonesia to raise relief funds for the Lombok quake victims, the club decided to join the effort.
Meanwhile, head of TECO in Jakarta, Taiwan's representative to Indonesia Chen Chung, said the Taiwan government cared about the conditions for the Lombok earthquake victims.
He noted that President Tsai Ing-wen on Monday tweeted a message of concern in English and Indonesian.
"My thoughts are with the victims of the deadly earthquake in Lombok, #Indonesia. #Taiwan stands ready to help our Indonesian friends at this difficult time," Tsai said in the tweet.
