BEIJING, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Hu Jintao on Wednesday offered his deep condolences to his U.S. counterpart Barack Obama over the casualties and major property losses inflicted upon the U.S. East Coast by superstorm Sandy.

Along with his sincere sympathies, Hu also expressed his confidence that the people affected by the megastorm will overcome difficulties and rebuild their homes.

Also on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi sent a message to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressing his condolences over the natural disaster.