UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon extended a message to China on Tuesday to express his condolences over the death of eight Chinese police officers in the tragic earthquake that hit Haiti last week, the Foreign Ministry said.

"I am deeply saddened by the death of eight Chinese police officers in the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on 12 January. They gave their lives for peace in Haiti and made valuable contributions to the cause of United Nations peacekeeping," Ban said in the message.

Ban expressed his profound condolences to all those who have been touched by the tragedy, including the families of the victims, friends, colleagues, and the government and people of China.

"The United Nations will remember and carry forward their noble work," the UN chief said.

The eight were meeting UN officials in the headquarters of the UN Stabilization Mission in Port-au-Prince when the quake occurred.

The bodies of the eight were found after several days of search and were flied back to Beijing on Tuesday.

(Xinhua News Agency January 20, 2010)