Both Zheng and He told Xinhua that Chinese businessmen in Kyrgyzstan were deeply bothered by the incidents, mulling over possible retreat.

However, Erena Samsaliyeva, Kyrgyz manager of the commercial center, was optimistic about future prospects.

"I firmly believe that we could build the commercial center into a better one. It was not just an ordinary market, but also one of the Chinese communities in Kyrgyzstan," she said.

"The Chinese people have done a lot of things for Kyrgyzstan," she said.

Samsaliyeva, who has worked at the commercial center for 10 years, also denied the existence of local animosity against the Chinese nationals, saying they were her own families.

"Five years ago when similar incidents happened, the Chinese people and I stood together to weather through the hard time and rebuild the center," she said.

Samsaliyeva also said many Kyrgyz vendors at the center volunteered to protect property during the riot.

"You know they were protecting properties of Chinese people," she said.

A local young man, who came to the center trying to provide help, told Xinhua that he was perplexed by the recent unrest, especially the burning of the Chinese markets.

"I don't know what to do facing the current situation of our country," he said.