China will today dispatch a special envoy to visit Cambodia and Thailand to conduct shuttle diplomacy aimed at easing ongoing border clashes, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
In an official statement issued on December 17, the spokesperson said Deng Xijun, China’s Special Envoy for Asian Affairs, would again travel to both countries today as part of Beijing’s efforts to help the two sides restore peace.
“Tomorrow, the special envoy will again make a shuttle diplomacy trip to bridge the two sides and rebuild peace at an early date,” the spokesperson said.
China, which described itself as a close neighbour and friend of both Cambodia and Thailand, said it is closely monitoring the border conflict and has been actively engaging with both sides to promote de-escalation.
“In its own way, China has been working actively for de-escalation,” the spokesperson added.
Deng previously visited Thailand and Cambodia in September as part of China’s regional diplomatic engagement. During his visit to Cambodia, he met senior Cambodian military leaders, including Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces Vong Pisen.
At the time, Deng emphasised that peaceful coexistence and cooperation for development serve the common interests of Cambodia, Thailand and their peoples.
The planned visit comes days after Beijing called for an urgent reduction in tensions, urging both countries to exercise restraint and take concrete steps to end the violence.
At a regular press briefing on the same day, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun addressed questions regarding Chinese-made military equipment reportedly used in the fighting.
He said China has long maintained normal defence cooperation with both Cambodia and Thailand.
“Such cooperation does not target any third party and has nothing to do with the conflict between the two countries,” Guo said, adding that further inquiries should be directed to the relevant authorities.
Meanwhile, the European Union has called for an immediate halt to hostilities. Kaja Kallas, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission, urged both Cambodia and Thailand to cease fighting at once and warned of the risk of further escalation.
She also offered EU assistance in the form of satellite imagery to help support the monitoring of any ceasefire, stressing that the conflict between Thailand and Cambodia must not be allowed to spiral further.
Separately, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed that all 18 Cambodian soldiers being held in Thailand since July are alive, safe and in good health, following its most recent visit. The ICRC also helped convey messages from the detained soldiers to their families.
ICRC officials relayed this information to Cambodia’s defence minister during a meeting on December 16. The minister, according to the ICRC, called on the organisation to continue monitoring and assessing the welfare, safety and living conditions of the soldiers in line with international humanitarian law.
