More countries and international organizations have, by various means, offered their condolences and aid in the wake of the deadly earthquake in southwestern China.

Among the leaders who sent messages to Chinese President Hu Jintao to express their condolences are:

Albanian President Bamir Topi;

Gambian President Yahya A.J.J. Jammeh;

President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands Litokwa Tomeing.

Among the leaders who sent messages to Wu Bangguo, chairman of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, to express their condolences are:

President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Congo Justin Koumba;

Speaker of Parliament of Tonga Tu'ilakepa;

Chairman of Bahraini Shura Council Ali Bin Saleh Al Saleh;

Chairman of the Mazhilis (lower house) of the Kazakh Parliament Aslan Mussin.

House Speaker Prospero Nograles of the Philippines also expressed condolences to China.

Georgian Prime Minister Vladimir Gurgenidze, Kazakh Prime Minister Karim Masimov, Prime Minister Antoine Gizenga Fundji of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Thoraya Ahmed Obaid and Secretary General of World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Michel Jarraud sent messages to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to express their condolences. Niue's acting Prime Minister Hon Fisa Vakaafi Pihigia also extended condolences to China.

The following leaders visited the Chinese embassies in their respective countries to express condolences:

Israeli President Shimon Peres;

ROK Prime Minister Han Seung Soo;

Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama of Fiji's interim government;

Prospero Nograles, speaker of the House of Representatives of the Philippines;

Liberia's House Speaker Jenekai Alex Tyler and Foreign Minister Olubanke King Akerele;

South Africa's Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini.

The Republic of Cape Verde declared May 23 a day of national mourning for China's deadly quake, and the European Parliament passed a resolution on May 22 expressing condolences for the quake victims.

Up to 8 p.m. Beijing time on May 26, leaders and personalities of various circles from 156 countries had visited Chinese embassies, consulates or missions to mourn the victims of the quake.

Meanwhile, more countries have provided or increased disaster relief aid to China.

Senegal has decided to donate 210 million African francs (some 500,000 U.S. dollars) to China, while Mali will increase its total aid to 50 million West African francs (some 120,000 dollars) from the earlier 25 million (some 60,000 dollars).

Vanuatu has provided 5 million vatu (approximately 50,000 U.S. dollars) to China.

Israel has offered 1.5 million dollars worth of relief materials.

Sweden has donated 12.9 million Swedish krona (some 2 million U.S. dollars) in both cash and materials.

The government of Hesse state in Germany decided to provide relief materials worth 1 million euros (some 1.58 million dollars). Six sets of water-purifying equipment donated by German government's emergency department have already arrived in Sichuan's Dujiangyan city.

Hungary's Muslim association donated 206,000 U.S. dollars to the disaster zone.

Britain, the Czech Republic, Portugal, Slovakia and Austria, under the civil protection mechanism of the European Union, continue to offer aid to China.

Russia's Defense Ministry has provided a batch of tents and other relief materials.

Canada decided to donate another 700 tents to the quake-hit region.