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China seems to have begun to play the role of chief mediator Thailand and Cambodia Take action to rebuild relationships and strengthen fragile relationships ceasefire It comes after weeks of deadly clashes in the disputed border region.
Beijing said in a statement on Monday that the Southeast Asian neighbors had agreed to gradually “consolidate the ceasefire” following talks in southwestern China.
Thailand and Cambodia ended weeks of fierce fighting on Saturday with their second ceasefire since late October. The new conflict has killed at least 101 people and forced more than 500,000 people to flee their homes.
The foreign ministers of Thailand and Cambodia traveled to Yunnan province for trilateral talks with their Chinese counterparts, a sign of Beijing’s growing diplomatic influence in the region Wang Yi Sunday and Monday. Defense officials from both sides also attended the meeting.
Mr Wang called the ceasefire “hard-won” and warned against letting the situation deteriorate again. He urged governments not to abandon the truce midway or allow violence to break out again.
Wang Yi said in a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that “the discussions among the three parties were useful and constructive, and an important consensus was reached.” The statement made no mention of ASEAN’s previous role in mediating negotiations.
China’s foreign minister said the hostile parties must “look forward and move forward.”
“China is ready to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to meet the livelihood needs of the displaced people in the border areas,” the statement said.
A joint communique issued by Xinhua, China’s official news agency, said Thailand and Cambodia would “rebuild political mutual trust, achieve an improvement in relations, and maintain regional peace.”
Fresh clashes erupted earlier this month after the collapse of a truce negotiated during an ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur involving US President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
This time, however, China is placed at the center of the diplomatic process. “The implementation of the ceasefire agreement requires continuous communication and consultation, and the restoration of bilateral relations must also proceed gradually,” Wang Yi said on Monday.
Mr Wang said Thai and Cambodian diplomats and defense officials held a number of bilateral meetings during the Yunnan talks, demonstrating a “positive and open attitude”.
Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhon expressed confidence that the truce will last and provide space for repairing relations, saying it will allow the two sides to resume previously agreed mechanisms for resolving disputes.
Thailand’s Foreign Minister Sissak Punchjoo also expressed hope for a lasting peace with the neighboring country.
Thailand’s foreign ministry later said China had volunteered to serve as a platform for peace efforts, while Bangkok reiterated that relations should be improved “gradually”.
“Thailand will consider releasing the 18 soldiers after the end of the 72-hour ceasefire observation period and ask Cambodia to facilitate the return of Thais along the border,” the ministry said.
The ceasefire agreement requires both sides to comply with an international ban on landmines, a major concern for Thailand, and provides for the repatriation of Cambodian soldiers captured earlier this year.
On Monday, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Mane issued a statement to all troops on the border. “While we can still fight,” he said, “as a small country, there is still no benefit in prolonging the fight for a long time.”