China hosts Cambodia–Thailand talks after deadly border clash

HONG KONG: China stepped into the spotlight on Monday as it brought together the foreign ministers of Thailand and Cambodia, hoping to steady a fragile ceasefire after weeks of bloodshed along their shared border.

The talks were held in Yunnan province, just north of the contested area—close enough to the conflict to feel its urgency. The timing was equally significant: Only two days earlier, Thailand and Cambodia had agreed to stop fighting after clashes that killed more than 100 people and drove hundreds of thousands of families from their homes.

“We haven’t solved everything,” Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said after the meeting, “But we’re heading in the right direction.” His focus, he added, is keeping the ceasefire intact and slowly rebuilding trust between the two neighbours.

The choice of Yunnan over Beijing highlighted China’s growing role as a hands-on mediator in regional crises. As China’s influence has expanded, it has increasingly positioned itself as a bridge between rivals—an ambition on clear display during the two days of talks.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi appealed to the human cost of renewed violence, urging both sides to look beyond old grievances. Restarting the fighting, he said, is “not what the people of the two countries want—and not what China, as your friend, wants to see.”

Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn struck a cautiously hopeful tone, saying he believed the ceasefire could hold if both sides remained committed. “No one wants to go back to the past,” he said, stressing that the truce must be permanent and fully respected.

The three countries agreed to move forward without reversing course, keep channels of communication open, and gradually restore ties. China also offered humanitarian aid for displaced civilians and pledged deeper cooperation to combat cross-border crimes such as online scams.

Still, the road to peace remains uncertain. A previous ceasefire reached in July—brokered by Malaysia and backed by pressure from then–U.S. President Donald Trump—failed to stop sporadic violence and heated rhetoric. By early December, fighting had erupted again.

The new agreement includes a key confidence-building step: Thailand is to release 18 Cambodian soldiers held since July once the ceasefire holds for 72 hours. It also commits both sides to international bans on land mines, a longstanding concern for Thailand.

Sihasak said Thailand is ready to begin the repatriation if calm holds, while also asking Cambodia to help Thai citizens still stranded in the border city of Poipet return home.

From Phnom Penh, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet offered a blunt assessment to troops along the border. “Even though we can still fight,” he said, “As a small country, we have nothing to gain from prolonging the fighting.”

For now, the guns have fallen silent. With China stepping in and both sides expressing restraint, there is cautious hope that this pause in violence can become something more lasting—for the soldiers on the front lines and the families waiting to return home.