As of Friday noon, nearly 70 countries and international and regional organizations have expressed condolences over the quake in northwest China's Qinghai Province to the Chinese government and people, according to the Foreign Ministry.

Leaders from countries including the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Nepal, Laos, South Africa, Comoros and Bangladesh expressed their condolences to China on Friday by sending messages or making phone calls to Chinese counterparts.

Governments from the United Arab Emirates, Grenada and Malawi offered condolences on Friday through various channels.

Several countries expressed willingness to assist China in the relief work, according to the Ministry.

The US Embassy in China on Thursday donated US$100,000 on behalf of the US government to the quake-hit area to help with relief operations.

Japan on Thursday offered emergency grant aid for medical relief work in the quake-hit area worth a maximum 100 million yen.

Yin Yin Nwe, UNICEF Representative and UN Disaster Management Team Chair in China, told Xinhua on Friday she was sad to hear about the disaster and paid condolences to the affected people.

China is doing a fine job in the relief work and the UN is ready to offer assistance, she added.

A large number of countries and international and regional organizations, including Russia, the United States, France, Germany and Japan, have extended their condolences to China after the quake struck Qinghai Province.

The 7.1-magnitude quake, which struck the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu in southern Qinghai Province early on Wednesday, has left 791 dead, 294 missing and 11,486 injured.

(Xinhua News Agency April 16, 2010)