Xi expresses concern for Chinese victims in Boston blasts

China on Wednesday mourned the death of a young Chinese woman who was killed in the Boston Marathon bombings. Thousands of Internet users posted messages to express their condolences and condemn the terrorists.

President Xi Jinping expressed sorrow for the dead student and offered condolences to an injured student and the victims' families.

The Chinese consulate in New York confirmed the death of the Boston University graduate student on its website on Tuesday, but did not release her name at the family's request.

The student was from the northeastern city of Shenyang. The US consulate in Shenyang said on Wednesday it had not received visa applications from the victim's relatives.

Ma Xiaojia, a high school classmate of the deceased, said she was a good student and a nice person.

"We felt very sorry to hear the news about her," Ma said.

The bombs injured more than 170 people.

Zhou Danling, another female Chinese graduate student at Boston University, was injured in the blasts on Monday. Zhou, from Chengdu, is being treated at Boston Medical Center and is said to be in stable condition.

A third Chinese graduate student, Qian Tingting, was with the other two women at the marathon but was unharmed.

There were two other fatalities from the attacks. Martin Richard, 8, was killed in the bombing.

His sister lost a leg and his mother had surgery on Monday night to deal with a brain injury.

More than 170 others suffered injuries, including severed limbs, shrapnel wounds and abdominal lacerations.

"I was so shocked at the news," said "Zhangxiaolin0813" on her Sina Weibo account. "Wish you happiness in heaven."

"Terrorists are enemies of all the people in the world! May the world have peace and innocent people never be hurt," another Sina Weibo user named "Aileen_Michelle" wrote.

Robert Hill, dean of Boston University's Marsh Chapel, who visited Zhou in hospital, said she had undergone surgery on Monday and Tuesday.

"She is doing well," Hill told BU Today, the university newspaper. "She has her friends around her, and she will soon have family around her."

According to Xinhua News Agency, Zhou was still very weak on Tuesday but could speak a few words and smile.

"Zhou had abdominal injuries from the blast. She came out of the coma today and is in stable condition now," said Owen Zhang, 21, from Shenzhen, who is also studying at Boston University.

Zhang said Zhou's parents are trying to get a visa to the US to visit their daughter.

Zhang, who has lived in Boston for two years, said if he had not overslept on Monday, he would probably have been on the same block where Zhou and her two Chinese friends were when the blast occurred.

Qian said the three of them watched the marathon around noon before having lunch, and at about 2:40 pm headed for the Apple store on the same street where the explosion occurred, according to China News Service.

As runners crossed the finish line and many people were on the street, Qian lost sight of her friends when she heard the first explosion.

She rushed into the basement of the Apple store to hide with more than 10 other people, who were all frightened. They later followed store staff out of an emergency exit and onto the street.

"I felt like a bomb may fall from the sky at any moment," Qian said. She said she felt very lonely and helpless for the first time in her life, surrounded by a scared crowd, debris on the ground, and soldiers carrying guns, and holding a phone that couldn't get a signal.

Some 27,000 runners from nearly 70 countries competed in the marathon.

President Xi Jinping sent his condolences to US President Barack Obama over the tragedy. Xi expressed his deep sympathy and sincere condolences to the US government and its people over the losses and casualties caused by the bombings.

Hu Haidan, Derek Bosko and Wu Yong contributed to this story.