On April 22 and 23, a number of foreign leaders and heads of international and regional organizations sent letters and telegraphs to President Hu Jintao, Chairman Wu Bangguo and Premier Wen Jiabao or through other forms to express condolences to the Chinese government and people over the earthquake disaster hitting Yushu, Qinghai.

Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki conveyed his deepest sympathies to the Chinese people, saying that all Kenyans are firmly standing together with the Chinese people.

Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba sent his sincerest sympathies and condolences to the Chinese government and people.

Togo President Faure Gnassingbe also conveyed his sincere sympathies to the Chinese people, saying that the Togolese will share hardships and difficulties with China.

Abdallah Kallel, president of the Tunisian Chamber of Councillors, offered his deepest condolences to the families of the quake victims, hoping that the injured would recover soon.

Celestin Leroy Gaombalet, president of the National Assembly of the Central African Republic, expressed his condolences to the Chinese side. He said he believed that the Chinese government and people will once again conquer the difficulties and challenges caused by natural disasters.

The Senate speaker of Thailand, Prasopsuk Boondej, said he was deeply saddened by the huge casualties caused by the earthquake and expressed profound sympathy and sincere condolences to the families of the victims.

King Albert II and Prime Minister Yves Leterme of Belgium expressed their sincerest condolences and firm support for the Chinese people.

Finnish President Tarja Halonen sent condolences to the Chinese people, especially to those affected by the earthquake and families of the quake victims.

Iceland President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson and Parliament Speaker Asta Ragnheidur Johannesdottir conveyed deep condolences to the Chinese people. The two leaders said that the people of Iceland could feel the sorrow of the Chinese as if they were also suffering from the earthquake and are ready to help China with its difficulties.

Montenegrin President Filip Vujanovic, Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic, and Speaker of the House Ranko Krivokapic all sent sincere condolences to the Chinese people.

Haris Silajdzic, chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Zeljko Komsic, a member of the Presidency, both offered their condolences to the Chinese side.

Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski extended condolences to the Chinese people.

Slovakian Prime Minister Roberto Fico expressed his heart-felt sympathy to the families of the victims.

Cecka Cacheva, president of the National Assembly of Bulgaria, said the Chinese government and people will overcome the disaster and rebuild the devastated areas by carrying out effective relief measures and advancing the spirit of unity and solidarity.

Pavel Gantar, speaker of the Slovenian National Assembly, sent condolences to the Chinese side.

Nicholas Liverpool, president of the Commonwealth of Dominica, extended his sincere condolences to the families who lost relatives and homes in the earthquake.

The Secretariat of the Southern African Development Community also expressed its sincere and heartfelt sympathies to the Chinese government and people, especially the families who lost their loved ones.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi has also received messages of condolence from Morocco's Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Taieb Fassi Fihri, Augustin Nsanze, the Burundian minister of external relations and international cooperation, Djibouti's acting Foreign Minister, Belgian Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Institutional Reform Steven Vanackere, Slovakian Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak, Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov, and Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi.