Hu Jintao, China’s president, has called for a return to talks and an end to conflict between Sudan and South Sudan as the latter’s president, Salva Kiir, visited Beijing to lobby for economic and political support.
The meeting coincided with increasingly bellicose statements from the two Sudans. Talks over how to share oil revenues broke down this year and recent weeks have seen the worst fighting since South Sudan seceded in July. South Sudan captured an oilfield controlled by the north this month. This week, Sudan bombed a regional oil capital in the south, killing civilians.
“The urgent task is to actively co-operate with the mediation efforts of the international community and halt armed conflict in the border areas,” Mr Hu was reported as saying on Chinese state television.