On December 18, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced the sending of a special Asian delegate to Cambodia and Thailand to mediate the ongoing conflict between the two neighboring countries. This move was made in the context of the border war continuing to cause casualties and force many civilians to evacuate.
A spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that Beijing is closely monitoring the situation of the Cambodia - Thailand border conflict and has made diplomatic efforts to promote peace and reduce the risk of escalation. According to the announcement, special envoy in charge of Asian affairs Deng Xijun will visit Cambodia and Thailand to act as a bridge, supporting both sides in restoring stability.
Regarding the information that the Thai military seized some of Cambodia's military equipment produced by China, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs affirmed that the country maintains long-term defense cooperation with both Cambodia and Thailand. Beijing stressed that this cooperation is not aimed at any third party and is not related to the current conflict.
The conflict between Cambodia and Thailand broke out when soldiers from both sides fought along the border area, then spread with the use of many types of heavy weapons. The two countries have launched airstrikes along the border with F-16 fighters and multiple rocket launchers, increasing tensions.
According to official announcements from the Thai military and the Cambodian Ministry of Home Affairs, the fighting has killed at least 39 people. Among them, there were 21 soldiers, 1 Thai civilian and 18 Cambodian civilians. Hundreds of thousands of people on both sides of the border have had to flee their homes to avoid fighting.
In response to the serious developments, US President Donald Trump also held phone calls with the leaders of Cambodia and Thailand, calling on both sides to end the conflict. However, fighting continued in the following days. In this context, China's mediation efforts are seen as a diplomatic channel to facilitate dialogue and reduce violence in the Thailand - Cambodia border area.
