BEIJING, April 21 (Xinhua) -- More foreign leaders have sent condolences to Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang as the country races against time to deal with the aftermath of a deadly earthquake in China's southwest Sichuan Province.
A joint message from Vietnam's Communist Party leader Nguyen Phu Trong, President Truong Tan Sang, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Parliament leader Nguyen Sinh Hung said they believed, under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese government, residents in the quake-hit region would surmount the challenges and soon resume a normal life.
In a joint message, Lao President Choummaly Saysone and Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong said they believed the Chinese people would once again demonstrate their traditional virtues, such as industriousness and bravery, in the face of natural disasters, and rebuild their homes as soon as possible.
Cuban President Raul Castro also offered his condolences to the Chinese people, especially those who lost loved ones in the earthquake.
South Korean President Park Geun-hye hoped the reconstruction work in the quake-hit areas could be completed early.
Pakistan's President Asif Zardari said in his message he believed the Chinese people would tide over the disastrous earthquake with courage and perseverance.
French President Francois Hollande expressed sympathy and support to the Chinese people and offered a salute to rescue workers on the ground.
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev offered condolences to bereaved families and hoped those injured would recover soon.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he hoped the quake-hit areas would be rebuild soon and offered Japan's assistance if needed.
Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra also offered condolences to affected families and the Chinese people as a whole.
In her message, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said her country was ready to help China with the disaster relief efforts.
According to the latest statistics, the magnitude-7 quake, which struck at 8:02 a.m. Saturday Beijing time, has left at least 186 dead. Twenty-one people are reported missing, and 11,393 others have been injured.
Other foreign leaders who sent condolences to China include Nepali President Ram Baran Yadav, Maldivan President Mohammed Waheed Hassan, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Uzbek President Islam Karimov, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski, Comoros President Ikililou Dhoinine Madi, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, South Korean Prime Minister Chung Hong-won, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Nepal's interim government chairperson Khil Raj Regmi and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.
The foreign relations chiefs of the United States, Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, Germany and Britain as well as other countries including Greece, Switzerland, Canada, Brazil, Argentina and Costa Rica also expressed condolences to China over the mishap in different way. 
Baby born right after earthquake in SW China
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