Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao on Tuesday expressed their condolences to the families of the eight Hong Kong tourists killed in a hostage crisis in the Philippines.

In a joint letter to Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, chief executive of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), Hu and Wen expressed their deep sorrow for the families of those killed and consolation for the injured.

Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping on Tuesday also expressed his condolences in a letter to Tsang.

The coachload of Hong Kong tourists were held hostage for more than 10 hours by a former policeman who was protesting his dismissal before police commandos stormed the vehicle.