Rome, July 8 (DPA) Chinese President Hu Jintao has pulled out of the Group of Eight summit that starts Wednesday, Italy's Ansa news agency reported.

The decision not to attend the meeting was due to ongoing violence in China's western region of Xinjiang. Rioting between the Muslim Uigher minority in the region, the Han ethnic majority and Chinese police has left more than 150 people dead since Sunday, according to official accounts.

Hu halted his visit in Italy late Tuesday and flew back to China, Ansa reported, citing Chinese embassy diplomat Tang Heng in Rome.