China stands ready to play constructive role in helping de-escalate tensions on Cambodia-Thailand border: FM
The recent outbreak of conflict along the Cambodia-Thailand border, resulting in casualties, is deeply distressing and concerning. The root of this issue lies in the legacy left by Western colonial powers, and it now requires calm and careful handling, said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi while meeting with Secretary-General of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Kao Kim Hourn in Beijing on Friday.
China appreciates and supports the active mediation efforts by the ASEAN chair, and encourages dialogue and political resolution through the "ASEAN way," said Wang.
Wang said that as a mutual neighbor and friend to both Cambodia and Thailand, China is committed to maintaining an objective and impartial stance, and stands ready to play a constructive role in helping de-escalate tensions and stabilizing the situation, according to a release from China's Foreign Ministry.
Kao Kim Hourn said that on the Cambodia-Thailand border conflict, we believe the leaders of the countries involved have the political wisdom to resolve the issue. The "ASEAN way" remains a viable approach, and the ASEAN chair is actively mediating in the spirit of the ASEAN Charter, according to the release.
We also appreciate China's constructive efforts in promoting dialogue and de-escalation, said Kao.
Clashes along the Thailand-Cambodia border reportedly continued on Friday, causing casualties on both sides and sparking worries, with regional countries and the international community calling for a ceasefire and de-escalation, according to multiple media outlets.
Thailand's military-run Channel 5 reported on Friday that clashes broke out at several areas along the Thailand-Cambodia border in the early hours of the day, saying Cambodian forces have conducted sustained bombardment utilizing heavy weapons, field artillery, and BM-21 rocket systems, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
Thai forces responded with appropriate supporting fire in accordance with the tactical situation and issued advisories to local civilians to avoid entering areas where clashes have taken place. Early Friday, the sound of artillery fire was heard again near the border area, the National Broadcasting Services of Thailand reported, citing a local official in Surin province.
According to the deputy spokesperson of the Thai Ministry of Public Health, 14 Thai people were killed and 46 others injured in military clashes near the Thailand-Cambodia border as of 9:00 pm local time on Thursday, Xinhua reported.
The deputy governor of Cambodia's Oddar Meanchey province, Met Meas Pheakdey, told Xinhua over the telephone that one villager was killed and five others were wounded on Thursday when the Thai side fired artillery shells into Cambodian territory.
"More than 2,900 families living near the border have been evacuated to a safe refuge," he added. "Fighting is still going on as of Friday morning," he said, according to the report.
Cambodian Defense Ministry's Undersecretary of State and spokesperson, Lieutenant General Maly Socheata, said in a press briefing on Friday morning that Thai troops had used heavy weapons and F-16 fighter jets as well as cluster bombs to attack several locations in the Cambodian provinces of Oddar Meanchey and Preah Vihear, according to the report.
The Royal Thai Army has firmly denied allegations from Cambodian media claiming that Thailand used F-16 fighter jets to strike civilian targets during the ongoing border conflict, while accusing Cambodia of using civilians as human shields by placing artillery in civilian areas, according to Nation Thailand.
The situation on the Thai-Cambodian border escalated following skirmishes on Thursday. The two sides traded accusations following the escalating situation.
Immediate de-escalation appears unlikely, as the core issue lies not in the clashes themselves but in deep political mistrust between the two countries' leaders. This distrust has spilled into domestic politics, with both sides constrained by internal pressures and left with little room for compromise, raising the risk of further escalation, Xu Liping, Director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Friday.
But a full-scale war between Thailand and Cambodia also seems unlikely. Despite ongoing tensions, the military imbalance, international mediation by ASEAN, China, and the UN, and strong global opposition to escalation serve as restraining factors, said Song Zhongping, a Chinese military affairs expert.
More importantly, the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand is rooted in complex colonial-era issues that cannot be resolved through a full-fledged war, said Song, noting that the conflict is more likely to be prolonged and sporadic, with occasional skirmishes but overall situation under control.
Call for de-escalation
China's permanent representative to the United Nations, Fu Cong, called for the situation between Cambodia and Thailand to cool down on Thursday. China has expressed concern over the situation between the two countries, urging both sides to exercise restraint, and hopes that the situation can stabilize and peace can be achieved, Fu said.
Fu said Cambodia and Thailand are not only good neighbors of China, but also friendly neighbors to each other, and at the same time, important members of ASEAN. He added that ASEAN has always adhered to the tradition of resolving differences through peaceful means, and China hopes that peace will prevail.
China is playing a mediating role in facilitating communication between the two sides and hopes that the situation can stabilize as soon as possible, Fu said.
The UN Security Council will hold a closed-door meeting on the Thailand-Cambodia border clashes on Friday, which was reportedly requested by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, per Xinhua.
On late Thursday, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said in a post on X that he has spoken to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Thailand's Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai. He appealed, in Malaysia's capacity as the current ASEAN chair, to both leaders for an immediate ceasefire to prevent further hostilities and to create space for peaceful dialogue and diplomatic resolution.
"I welcome the positive signals and willingness shown by both Bangkok and Phnom Penh to consider this path forward. Malaysia stands ready to assist and facilitate this process in the spirit of ASEAN unity and shared responsibility. I firmly believe that ASEAN's strength lies in its solidarity and that peace must always be our collective and unwavering choice," he said.
Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn on Friday morning convened diplomats and military attachés from multiple countries, including the US and China, to brief them on developments regarding the Cambodia-Thailand border situation and to reaffirm Cambodia's firm stance on peacefully resolving border disputes, CCTV News reported on Friday.
The US, China and Malaysia, which is the current chair of the ASEAN regional bloc, have offered to facilitate dialogue but Bangkok is seeking a bilateral solution to the conflict, Thai foreign ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura told Reuters.
There are obstacles to the mediation efforts. Both Cambodia and Thailand hold conflicting maps and refuse to accept the other's version, Ge Hongliang, deputy director of the College of ASEAN Studies at Guangxi University for Nationalities, told the Global Times.
Though ties have been downgraded, diplomatic channels remain open. ASEAN has launched shuttle diplomacy to push for a ceasefire and renewed talks, and China maintains a neutral stance, urging both sides to return to dialogue and supporting ASEAN-led mediation, said Ge.
As Thailand and Cambodia are both ASEAN members, a war between them would destabilize Southeast Asia and undermine regional economic integration. Easing tensions and returning to dialogue serves the fundamental interests of both countries and the region, said Song.
Many of today's conflicts can be traced back to unresolved border and ethnic issues left by colonial powers. This remains a persistent threat to global peace, underscoring the need to continue advancing global decolonization, said the expert.