BEIJING, Sept. 17 -- Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei on Wednesday said China appreciates the international community's understanding and support for China's action against the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), a terrorist organization.

Hong's remarks came after the Indonesian police on Monday said four foreigners arrested over the weekend were from China's Uygur ethnic group.

Police said they were investigating whether the four had links to the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq, according to an AP report.

Hong said that China has taken note of the reports and is verifying them.

As for China's crackdown on the ETIM, the spokesman said that the ETIM does not only conduct terrorist attacks within China but poses a threat to regional and global peace and stability by colluding with terrorists in other countries.

The crackdown on the ETIM is an important part of the international fight against terrorism, Hong said.