TAIPEI -TAIWAN'S incoming President Ma Ying-jeou says the earthquake that struck China earlier this week provides a 'good opportunity' for the two long time rivals to work together.

Mr Ma says Taiwan 'will contact the mainland through appropriate channels' to share the island?s experiences in connection with the 7.9 quake that hit Sichuan province on Monday.

He made the comments on Thursday in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press. He will be sworn in as president in five days.

Taiwan and China split amid civil war in 1949. Relations between the sides were tense during the eight-year presidency of outgoing leader Chen Shui-bian, but Mr Ma believes they will now improve.

Taiwan was hit by a large earthquake in 1999 that killed 2,300 people. -- AFP