BEIJING, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi has offered condolences over the passing away of former United Nations (UN) chief Kofi Annan.

In his message dated on Aug. 19 to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and Ghana's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Wang said he deeply mourned Annan and expressed condolences to his family.

The former UN chief and Nobel Peace Prize laureate passed away on Saturday at the age of 80.