The Chinese government on Wednesday stepped up its rescue efforts to secure the release of eight Chinese nationals kidnapped by Iraqi militants.

Meanwhile, a string of bloody car bombings on Wednesday targeting the Australian embassy and Iraqi security forces claimed more than 20 lives, overshadowing the coming elections in the country.

The Chinese government on Wednesday dispatched officials to contact mediators in Iraq in an attempt to secure the release of the hostages. Meanwhile, it warned its nationals against travels to Iraq.

The Chinese embassy on Wednesday contacted the Iraq Muslim Presbytery, which helped in the release of seven Chinese hostages last April, expressing the hope that the organization would again play a key role in seeking the release of the eight now being held.

Chinese officials later visited chairman of the Presbytery, Harih Al-Dhari, to urge him to help locate the hostages and to appeal to the kidnappers for their release.

Meanwhile, the Chinese Foreign Ministry on Wednesday warned its nationals not to travel to Iraq for safety concerns. The Ministry of Commerce also issued an emergency statement reminding overseas Chinese to be cautious of their personal safety.

The eight Chinese, aged between 18 and 40 and identified as citizens from Pingtan County, east China's Fujian Province, to seek jobs in Iraq, were kidnapped when leaving the country.

A video tape from the pan-Arab al-Jazeera TV channel showed on Tuesday the eight Chinese being flanked by masked gunmen. The kidnappers asked the Chinese government to make clear its position on Iraq as a condition for their release.

At a press conference on Tuesday evening, the Chinese embassy clarified China's stance on Iraq and the Iraqi people and demanded the hostages' release.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kong Quan told reporters that the Chinese government has always had the fundamental interests of the Iraqi people in mind while dealing with the Iraq issue.

"The Chinese people have always cherished friendly feelings towards the Iraqi people and sympathized and supported them," Kong said.

Meanwhile, Kong pledged that the Chinese government would spare no efforts in gaining the release of the hostages. "The Chinese government hopes they could be released safely as soon as possible. The Foreign Ministry is actively taking all possible measures to rescue them."

Chinese President Hu Jintao, Premier Wen Jiabao, and other leaders have expressed concern over the safety of the eight Chinese hostages in Iraq and ordered the Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy in Iraq to take effective measures to rescue them.

As China is racing against the 48 hour-deadline set by the kidnappers to rescue its citizens, an influential Iraqi religious group expressed optimism Wednesday over obtaining the release of the kidnapped.

"All of the Iraqi people know the attitude of the Chinese people toward the Iraqi issue, and I am optimistic that the kidnapped Chinese will be released soon," Sheikh Harith Al Dhari, head of the Islamic Scholars Association, told Xinhua at a press conference.

"As long as the kidnappers claim themselves to be an Islamic party, I feel that the lives of the kidnapped are not in danger," he said. He called on the kidnappers to release them immediately, saying he "appreciated the stand taken by the Chinese people" who are friends and supporters of the Iraqi people.

As the Chinese hostage crisis dragged on, four car bombs blew up Wednesday morning in Baghdad, killing 26 people and wounding 21 others.

The US military said in a statement that two Australian soldiers were among the wounded in the first car bombing that went off at approximately 7:00 a.m. (0400 GMT) near the Australian Embassy.

Half an hour later, another car bombing near the Al Alahi Hospital in central Baghdad left 18 people dead and 15 others wounded, it said.

At about 8:15 a.m. (0515 GMT) Wednesday, two Iraqi security guards were killed, and three others wounded in a third car bomb blast, southwest of the Baghdad International Airport, the statement added.

The fourth car bombing came at 8:30 a.m. (0530 GMT) near the Muthana Airfield, killing two Iraqi soldiers and two civilians, the statement said, adding that one US soldier was also wounded.

Insurgents bent on disrupting the Jan. 30 polls have intensified attacks against US forces, Iraqi police, national guards and civilians working for foreign forces.