China's Embassy in Madagascar has expressed its discontent over violent riots and the looting of a Chinese-run sugar plant by the locals, slamming Madagascar's authorities for inaction.

MOSCOW, December 14 (Sputnik), Ekaterina Blinova — China's Embassy in Madagascar has expressed its deep concerns regarding violent riots at a Chinese-run sugar plant, slamming local government officials for inaction.

"We hope the Madagascar government will take necessary measures to properly handle the attack at the Morondava sugar plant and to erase the ill impact this incident has brought to the country's international image and its ability to attract foreign investments so as to create a good environment for Madagascar to cooperate with China and other countries," the Chinese Embassy's official statement read, as quoted by the Associated Press.

Xinhua, a Chinese state-run media outlet, reported on Thursday, December 11, that violent clashes between police and locals in Morondava, Madagascar had resulted in the deaths of two people, while nine were wounded. Hundreds of people, "led by some drugged men with axes, slingshots, and other edged weapons," attacked Morondava's police. After that, the crowd looted the Chinese Sugar Company (SUCOMA), as well as some Malagasy in the company and some Chinese citizens in Morondava. Then the rioters set the factory on fire.

"The crowed robbed not only SUCOMA but also other Chinese in Morondava. It is very sad to see that this problem became xenophobia. The police asked all Chinese living in Morondava to move out to the capital for our security. We are now going to the capital," General Administrator of SUCOMA Zhou Jianping said in an interview with Xinhua.

According to the Associated Press, the protest movement began when the factory's seasonal workers demanded better pay and better conditions. When the plant's officials rejected their demands, the workers started harassing employees, destroying equipment, and cutting of utilities in early November. The arrest of two protest leaders had only added fuel to the fire.

China is Africa's biggest trading partner, thus far, Madagascar’s Prime Minister Roger Kolo and Industry Minister Jules Etienne Rolland claimed they would make every effort to resolve the problem.