(Dan Tri) – The Chinese Embassy urgently requested Myanmar to ensure the safety of property and lives of its citizens after a number of Chinese-invested factories were burned and attacked by protesters.

Smoke rises from the industrial park in Hlaingtharya, a suburb of Yangon, Myanmar on March 14 (Photo: Reuters).

32 Chinese factories were burned down

South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that on March 14, protesters protesting the military government in Myanmar set fires and attacked many factories in the industrial park in Hlaingthaya town, south of the city.

Global Times said that a total of 32 Chinese-invested factories were destroyed in `serious` attacks on Chinese businesses in Yangon as of this afternoon, March 15.

According to the Myanmar military’s Myawady news agency, on March 14, more than 2,000 protesters blocked roads so that fire trucks could not reach fires in burned factories in Yangon.

The Chinese Embassy in Myanmar said that a number of Chinese-invested factories here were set on fire and destroyed, and some of their citizens were also injured.

`China urges Myanmar to take more effective measures to stop all acts of violence, punish attackers in accordance with the law, and ensure the safety of life and property for businesses.`

China is said to be in a difficult position in Myanmar as Beijing has so far refused to condemn the coup in Myanmar because it believes this is an `internal matter` of this Southeast Asian country.

Bloody protest day

Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar on March 14 (Photo: Reuters)

March 14 also marked the bloodiest day since protests broke out early last month to protest the military coup in Myanmar.

Immediately after this bloody day of protests, the Myanmar military government declared martial law in some areas of Yangon, including Hlaingthaya.

Protests against the military government in Myanmar show no signs of abating even though so far at least 126 people have died and about 2,000 people have been arrested.

Myanmar soldiers and riot police have been accused of opening fire on protesters in many cities.