French President Nicolas Sarkozy Monday visited the Chinese Embassy to express his condolences over the deadly earthquake that hit southwestern China last week.

"We are in solidarity with the Chinese people who are severely suffering," Sarkozy wrote on the condolence book at the embassy.

The French people feel very sad over the disaster, he told reporters, adding that his embassy tour was designed to express their sympathy, friendship and support toward the Chinese people.

Speaker of the National Assembly Bernard Accoyer and Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner also visited the embassy on the same day to mourn the dead.

Accoyer voiced the French parliament's deepest condolences and support for China. Meanwhile, Kouchner, while expressing his deep and sincere sympathy, commended the Chinese government's relief efforts as a move that "honors human nature."

More than 34,000 people have been confirmed dead in the May 12 quake, measuring 8.0 on the Richter scale, that shocked China's Sichuan Province last Monday.

(Xinhua News Agency May 20, 2008)