Asian leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indonesian President Joko Widodo, sent condolences Friday over the death of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, one of the world's longest-reigning monarchs.
In a message to King Charles III, Xi extended sincere sympathy to the British royal family, government and people, noting that the queen was the first British monarch to visit China, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.
Xi said he stands ready to work with the new king to take the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries this year as an opportunity to promote the healthy and stable development of their ties.
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong praised Queen Elizabeth as having left a "significant mark" on Singapore's history and its "longstanding close relations" with Britain, saying in a Facebook post, "Throughout her life, she steadfastly served the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth."
In 1963, during the early years of her reign, Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore's first prime minister and the current premier's father, declared the city-state's independence from British colonial rule.
In neighboring Indonesia, the president popularly known as Jokowi posted a message on Instagram, describing the 96-year-old monarch as "a widely admired and beloved queen. My deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolences to the Royal Family, the government, and the people of the UK."
South and Southeast Asian countries such as India, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Singapore, which were once British Empire colonies, remain members of the Commonwealth. Hong Kong was also a British colony until its return to China in 1997.
Tributes also came in from Australia and New Zealand, where Queen Elizabeth served both countries as the head of state.
"With the passing of Queen Elizabeth the Second, an historic reign and a long life devoted to duty, family, faith and service has come to an end," Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a televised statement early Friday.
"Australian hearts go out to the people of the United Kingdom who mourn today, knowing they will feel they have lost part of what makes their nation whole."
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also expressed her country's deep sadness at the monarch's passing, praising the queen as "a much respected constant through unprecedented global change."
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