An earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale rocked the sea area near Taiwan at 8:55 a.m. (Beijing time) on Thursday, according to China's Seismological Monitoring Network.

The epicenter, 22.6 degrees north latitude and 121.1 degrees east longitude, was about 20 kilometers south of Taitung County in east Taiwan.

(Xinhua News Agency August 9, 2007)