A large number of countries and international and regional organizations have extended their condolences to China for an earthquake that hit northwest China's Qinghai Province and that has killed at least 617 people. Messages of condolences were sent to President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao, and Wu Bangguo, chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. The 7.1-magnitude quake struck the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu in southern Qinghai Province early Wednesday, leaving at least 617 people dead, 9,110 injured and hundreds missing. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Wednesday extended profound condolences to Hu over victims of the devastating quake while pledging assistance in dealing with the aftermath. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued statements on the same day, sending condolences to the families of the quake victims and pledging assistance. French President Nicolas Sarkozy expressed 'the most sincere condolence to the numerous victims in the tragedy' and was 'confident of China's capacity to cope with the new ordeal.' French Prime Minister Bernard Kouchner said France stands ready to respond to aid requests from China. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she felt grieved and shocked at the casualties caused by the quake and extended the deepest condolences to the families of the quake victims and the people affected by the quake. Merkel said she wished those injured a quick recovery. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said that at this difficult moment, Germany would stand on the side of China and offer assistance to the country's relief efforts. Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said that Japan was ready to help with China's reconstruction efforts, adding that he hopes the affected areas will be rebuilt as soon as possible. In a message sent to Hu, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak expressed on behalf of the people of his country and himself deep condolences to the victims and sympathy to the families of the victims and the injured. Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani extended their sincere condolences to the Chinese government and people. They said they believed the Chinese would overcome the disaster with courage and determination. Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung offered the deepest condolences and expressed sympathy to the people affected by the quake. He said he believed the affected areas will return to normalcy under the leadership of the Communist Party of China and the Chinese government. Myanmar Prime Minister Thein Sein sent his sincere condolences and deep sympathies to the families of the quake victims. He believed and hoped the Chinese government will accomplish the quake relief and reconstruction work. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen also extended his deepest sympathy and condolence to the victims and their families. Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that he believes the rescue and relief efforts will be swift and that the Chinese people will be able to overcome this tragedy. 'I wish those injured a speedy recovery and hope that the affected regions will return to normalcy before long,' he said. President of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed expressed condolences to China and lamented over the victims. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he felt grieved about the great number of casualties in the quake and offered his condolences to the Chinese people and the families of the quake victims. Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah lamented over the deaths and extended profound condolences to the families of the quake victims. He said he hoped the Chinese people will overcome the disaster soon. Jordan's King Abdullah felt deeply grieved over the casualties and offered his most sincere condolences to the families of the victims. Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba hoped the brave Chinese people will tide over the difficulties. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir said he was deeply grieved over the victims and sent sincere condolences to the Chinese people and the families of the quake victims. He believed the Chinese people will overcome the disaster. Seychelles President James Michel wished the quake relief a smooth progress and that China will overcome the disaster. Malian President Amadou Toumani Toure extended condolences to China and particularly to the families of the victims. Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbayev and Prime Minister Karim Masimov said they hoped the affected regions will restore to normalcy as soon as possible. Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva on Wednesday sent condolences to the Chinese people, saying that 'in the name of the Portuguese people and my own, I express our deepest feelings and our solidarity.' Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov offered deep condolences to Chinese people. He said he believed the Chinese government and its people have great determination to overcome the disaster and the affected areas will restore to normalcy soon. The Georgian Foreign Ministry issued a statement Thursday saying ' the people and the government of Georgia convey the expression of their sincere sympathy and condolences to the kith and kin of the disaster victims.' Romania President Traian Basescu expressed his condolences and sympathy to the victims, saying he will stand side-by-side with the Chinese people. Luxemburg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Junker sent his condolences and sympathy for the heavy casualties on behalf of Luxemburg. Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou expressed deep condolences to the victims and sincere solicitude to their families on behalf of the Greek government. Uruguayan President Jose Mujica lamented over the deaths and extended sincere condolences and sympathy to China. Chilean President Sebastian Pinera expressed profound condolences to the Chinese government and people and to the families of the quake victims. Serbian Parliamentary Speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic and Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro also conveyed their sympathies to the families of the victims and expressed their condolences to the Chinese government and people. Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega expressed sympathy and condolence with China on Wednesday, stressing that Spain will stand by the Chinese people in such a difficult time. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso sent his 'heartfelt condolences' to the families of the victims. Jerzy Buzek, president of the European Parliament, also extended his condolences and pledged support to the Chinese authorities and people to overcome the tragedy. Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on behalf of the Canadian government and people on Wednesday, sent his deepest condolences, expressing sympathy and concern for persons missing in the disaster and promising to provide assistance to the Chinese people. New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully offered condolences on Thursday and said New Zealand is ready to support China's humanitarian response to Wednesday's devastating earthquake. Brazil's Foreign Ministry and Columbia Foreign Ministry issued statements offering their sincere condolences to the Chinese government and the families of the quake victims in Qinghai Province. The Mexican foreign ministry on behalf of the Mexican government said in a statement Wednesday that it expressed 'its deepest condolences to the relatives of the victims and its support and solidarity with the victims and the injured at this difficult moment.' Earlier Wednesday, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed deep condolences to the Chinese government and the Chinese people that suffered great losses in their lives and properties. The United Nations is ready to help at any time, he said. U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes,and Helen Clark, administrator of the United Nations Development Program, sent their sincerest condolences to the Chinese government and people and pledged to offer any assistance at any time China needs. Ali Treki, president of the U.N. General Assembly, and IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn also expressed their sympathies and support to the families of the victims and the Chinese government. Condolences also came from Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada, South Korean Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Yu Myung Hwan, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem, Myanmar's Minister of Foreign Affairs U Nyan Win, Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon, Uruguayan Minister of Foreign Affairs Luis Almagro, Chilean Foreign Minister Mariano Fernandez, Argentine Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana, Peruvian Foreign Minister Jose Garcia Belaunde, Algerian Minister of State of the Interior and Local Communities Noureddine Yazid Zerhouni, Senegalese Minister of Foreign Affairs Madicke Niang and the President of European Economic and Social Committee Mario Sepi. 