Chinese, French FMs discuss Iraq situation via phone

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held on Friday a telephone conversation with his French counterpart Laurent Fabius to exchange views on the situation in Iraq.

China supports the efforts made by Iraq's new government to maintain domestic stability and combat terrorism, said Wang, who is currently accompanying Chinese President Xi Jinping on his Central and Southern Asia trip.

The minister urged the international community to make concerted efforts to counter the threats posed by terrorism.

Relevant moves, he said, should be made in accordance with the UN charter and the basic norms of international relations.

Iraq is witnessing a worsening security condition that began in June when armed religious radicals, spearheaded by an al-Qaida splinter group known as the Islamic State (IS), launched a surprise offensive that led to the debacle of Iraqi security forces and the loss of a large part of the country's northern and western territories.

Thousands of Iraqi people, mainly from minority communities, have been forced to flee their homes.