Beijing Steps In to Mediate as Cambodia, Thailand Seek to Defuse Border Conflict

PHNOM PENH/BANGKOK (Dec.19,2025) — China called Thursday for an immediate ceasefire following renewed clashes between Cambodia and Thailand, after senior officials from both countries signaled their willingness to de-escalate the situation.

According to China’s state-run Xinhua news agency, Foreign Minister Wang Yi held separate phone calls with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn and Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow. Both officials briefed Wang on the latest developments and said they were prepared to implement a ceasefire.

Wang said China, as a close neighbor and friend of both countries, did not want to see the dispute escalate into armed confrontation. He expressed sorrow over the civilian casualties.

He warned that the current clashes were more intense than previous incidents and said continued violence would harm both sides while undermining unity within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

“The top priority is to make a prompt decision to cease fire, reduce losses and rebuild mutual trust,” Wang said.

China, he added, has consistently supported dialogue and maintained a fair and impartial position on the border dispute, while backing ASEAN’s mediation efforts.

Wang said a special envoy for Asian affairs from China’s foreign ministry had already traveled to Cambodia and Thailand to conduct shuttle diplomacy, and that Beijing would continue to play a bridging role in efforts to restore peace.

He also called on both governments to ensure the safety of Chinese projects and personnel, and urged vigilance against what he described as false information that could damage China’s relations with the two countries.

Both Prak Sokhonn and Sihasak welcomed China’s mediation efforts and praised Beijing’s impartial stance. They expressed hope that China would play a greater role in easing tensions and helping to rebuild peace.

ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn warned that the regional bloc cannot turn a blind eye to the escalating armed conflict, as civilian casualties and mass displacement — estimated at more than 500,000 people — expose growing concerns over ASEAN’s ability to respond decisively to crises among its own members.

Speaking at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta on Dec. 11, Kim Hourn said ASEAN members “cannot ignore the continued fighting between two member states,” noting that the violence has drawn widespread regional and international attention and triggered urgent calls for an immediate ceasefire, de-escalation, and a return to dialogue.

Cambodia’s Ministry of National Defence on Thursday strongly condemned Thailand for escalating the border conflict with airstrikes and artillery attacks on civilian areas, alleging the use of F-16 fighter jets, drones and heavy weapons against schools, villages and cities.

Ministry spokesperson Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata said Thailand must “stop lying” and show good faith in peace efforts, charging that Thai forces had opened new battlefields inside Cambodian territory.

The ministry insisted Cambodian military actions were limited to self-defense and denied striking civilian areas. It accused Thailand of deliberately targeting populations, calling the attacks violations of the U.N. Charter, the ASEAN Charter and international law.