Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Hu to skip G8 over China unrest

The Chinese president is skipping the G8 summit in Italy and returning to Beijing following unrest in China's western Xinjiang province that has claimed at least 156 lives.

The official Xinhua news agency said Hu Jintao, who had been on a state visit to Italy ahead of the Group of Eight summit starting on Wednesday, was rushing back "due to the situation" in Xinjiang.


Troops have been deployed and a curfew imposed in an effort to quell the unrest [Reuters]

Urumqi, Xinjiang's regional capital, appeared quiet early on Wednesday a day after heavily armed troops were deployed and a night-time curfew imposed as rival ethnic groups took to the streets, battling each other and the police.

Anti-riot police continued to block off main streets, while armoured personnel carriers patrolled the city as soldiers went about their morning exercises.

Source: Al Jazeera

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