BEIJING, April 17 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese government on Tuesday expressed its condolences over the shootings at Virgina Tech University in the United States.

"China is shocked by the shootings in Virginia and expresses deep condolences to those who lost loved ones and those who were injured," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said.

On Monday, a gunman killed 32 people at the university in the worst shooting rampage in modern U.S. history.

Earlier Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing sent a telegram to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, expressing "shock, condolences and our sincere solicitude to the U.S. government and those affected by the shootings".