South Sudan 's president , who accused Sudan of declaring war on his nation , cut short his trip to China on Wednesday as tension between the two neighbors intensified over border and oil disputes . President Salva Kiir canceled the Shanghai leg of his trip . He had planned a five-day trip , ending Saturday . It 's unclear how soon he will return home . During a visit to Beijing on Tuesday , Kiir accused Sudan of declaring war on his nation . The visit came at a `` critical moment ... because our neighbor in Khartoum has declared war '' on South Sudan , Kiir told his Chinese counterpart , Hu Jintao . His accusation marked the latest in fiery war rhetoric that has drawn alarm and condemnation from the international community . China , a crucial trading ally to both nations , urged restraint and negotiation , and said it plans to send its envoy for Africa to Sudan and South Sudan to promote peace talks . Beijing has deep trade ties with Africa , and has had diplomatic and economic ties with Sudan for decades . Ambassador Zhong Jianhua traveled to both countries earlier this year for mediation , the Chinese foreign ministry said . South Sudan split from Sudan last year as part of a 2005 peace deal that ended decades of war in Africa 's largest nation . The war left 2 million people dead and ended with the peace agreement that included an independence referendum for the south . Despite the split in July , unresolved issues remain between the two , including status of their citizens , division of national debt , disputed border areas and sharing of oil wealth . Simmering tensions peaked this month when South Sudan seized the oil-producing region of Heglig from Sudan , raising the stakes by targeting a resource that fuels the economies of both nations . Heglig oil facilities account for about half of Sudan 's production of 115,000 barrels a day . Sudan claims ownership for the region , and lodged complaints with the United Nations and the African Union to pressure South Sudan to withdraw troops from its territory . The African Union on Tuesday gave the nations 48 hours to cease their hostilities and three months to complete negotiations on outstanding issues or face `` appropriate measures . '' It said it will seek updates on the status of negotiations and will require compliance by Sudan and South Sudan . Failure to resolve their disputes will lead to an arbitration process , the body said , without getting into specifics . Heglig is on the border created when the two countries split . While it is a disputed region , Sudan continued administering it after South Sudan declared independence from the north . `` We have every right to use all military means inside our territory to crush the enemy , `` said Daffa-Alla Ali Osman , Sudan 's ambassador to the United Nations . `` Setting territories inside our borders as theirs ... this is a call for war until they stop and refrain from any behavior against the territorial integrity of Sudan . '' After an international outcry , including from U.S. President Barack Obama , who urged the nations to resolve their issues peacefully , South Sudan withdrew its troops Saturday and Sudan retook control of Heglig . `` We wish to see a return to peace with our neighbors . We stand by the values of having two states viable and living in peace side by side , '' said Agnes Oswaha , the South Sudan ambassador to the United Nations . A day after South Sudan withdrew from the disputed region , it accused Sudan of launching ground and aerial attacks on its territory . The bombing in Unity state killed at least 16 and left 34 injured , the United Nations said . U.N. peacekeeping officials in South Sudan confirmed the casualties from bombings near the border , said Susan Rice , the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and the current Security Council president . Council members have `` demanded an immediate halt to aerial bombardment by the Sudanese armed forces and urged an immediate cease-fire and return to the negotiating table , '' she said Tuesday . A spokesman for the Sudanese military could not be immediately reached for comment . Claims from both sides are difficult to confirm because journalists and independent observers do not have access to the front lines . The international community has appealed for both sides to silence their weapons and return to the negotiating table , with Sudan facing the latest criticism for bombing Bentiu , which is about 60 miles ( nearly 100 kilometers ) from Heglig . Last week , Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir vowed to never give up the disputed region , whose loss would send the nation 's economy reeling . Sudan 's oil industry suffered when fighting in Heglig halted oil production in those fields . The Satellite Sentinel Project released images this week suggesting a critical part of the oil pipeline infrastructure was destroyed . The collection manifold , which allows oil flows to be separated or combined without interrupting the flow , appears to have been damaged by an explosion . Analysts could not determine whether the destruction was the result of ground fighting or aerial bombardment , said Jonathan Hutson , a spokesman for the project , which is led by the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative . Serious damage to the facility would prevent companies from resuming production and would require substantial investment to repair or rebuild .
South Sudan 's president cancels the Shanghai leg of his China trip . His comment during a visit to Beijing marks the latest in fiery war rhetoric . Tensions between the two spark alarm from the international community . Comment: