China Calls on Cambodia and Thailand to Resolve Border Conflict
The meeting between Wang, Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa, and Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn took place on the sidelines of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Anning, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
The three envoys 'had a friendly and candid communication over the conflict along the border between Cambodia and Thailand in a harmonious atmosphere,' and they 'agreed to keep communication channels open through a flexible approach,' the statement said, as per China Daily.
The Foreign Ministry also said that Wang held separate one-on-one meetings with Maris and Sokhonn, which covered the border dispute as well as other issues of bilateral concern.
On July 28, Cambodia and Thailand agreed to a ceasefire that ended five days of fierce fighting, which killed at least 43 people and displaced more than 300,000 on both sides of the border. The two sides followed this up with a meeting of their bilateral General Border Committee in Malaysia on August 7, at which they agreed to a number of means of de-escalating tensions. Among these were mutual pledges to freeze border troop movements and patrols, not to reinforce their positions along the border, and 'not to undertake provocative actions that may escalate tensions.'
However, the situation remains febrile, with both nations trading near-daily accusations of ceasefire violations, often with reference to territorial claims that are not internationally recognized.
Wang said that China 'supports Cambodia and Thailand in engaging in dialogue, clearing misunderstandings, rebuilding mutual trust and restoring normal exchanges and cooperation,' the China Daily reported. China also promised support and assistance for landmine clearance in the border areas of Cambodia and Thailand, and the three ministers agreed to continue communication in a 'flexible manner.' Beijing also hoped for the stabilization of relations between the two nations and the reopening of border crossings as soon as possible, Wang said.
Chinese officials have been present as observers at the recent bilateral talks, along with their American counterparts, and China's Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong hosted an informal trilateral meeting with representatives from both nations in Shanghai on July 30. During the meeting, both Cambodia and Thailand 'reaffirmed their commitment to the ceasefire consensus and expressed appreciation for China's positive role in de-escalating the situation,' the Global Times reported.
Yesterday's meetings could signal a Chinese desire to play a more active role in mediating the conflict. Despite enjoying good relations with both Thailand and Cambodia, China has been somewhat upstaged in this respect by the United States. President Donald Trump was widely credited with pushing Thailand and Cambodia to agree to the initial ceasefire on July 28 by threatening to withhold tariff deals if they did not cease hostilities. (Cambodia later nominated Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of his role.) However, since securing relatively competitive 'final' tariffs of 19 percent, the two nations have continued to spar over the border issues, making a return to hostilities a very real prospect.
In any event, the mistrust between the Thai and Cambodian governments remains at such a high pitch, and the issue has now become an issue of such salience to domestic politics in both nations that Beijing will have to do a lot more to reverse the deterioration of the relationship that has taken place over the past few months.
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