Thailand has lodged concerns with China over its recent delivery of tanks to Cambodia, citing the fragility of a ceasefire between the Southeast Asian neighbors following last year’s deadly border clashes.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul raised the concerns with Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) in a meeting on Friday last week, Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs Sihasak Phuangketkeow told reporters yesterday during the Thai delegation’s visit to China.
“Our concern lies in Cambodia’s reporting of the tank delivery. At this time, relations are delicate, and the ceasefire is fragile,” Sihasak said. “Presenting the tank delivery in a way that benefits Cambodia could not be beneficial for the current Thai-Cambodian situation.”
Photo: AP
The concerns came after Thai authorities last month said 39 Chinese T-59D battle tanks had been delivered to Cambodia as part of an existing joint military training agreement, adding that the hardware did not seem to have been moved to the border after.
Relations between Thailand and Cambodia have remained tense after a third ceasefire agreement at the end of last year, following days of clashes in July and December that ranked among the deadliest between the two countries.
A compulsory UN settlement process for maritime disputes, initiated by Cambodia earlier this year, has further strained relations. That has made talks on land border demarcation difficult and prompted a pause, Sihasak said.
Tensions between the two countries can be traced back to colonial-era maps and treaties that define the shared border. Historic rivalry and rising nationalist sentiment have fueled recent military attacks along the roughly 800km frontier.
Cambodia’s use of Chinese weapons came into focus during the border conflicts last year, following reports that the Thai military seized a large number of Chinese-made weapons from Cambodian soldiers.
China has said it maintains “normal defense cooperation” with both countries and that such ties do not target any third party. In April, it delivered the first Type 056 guided-missile corvette to Cambodia’s Ream Base. Thailand, which is a treaty ally of the US, has far larger and more sophisticated armed forces than Cambodia.
Sihasak added that Thailand appreciated that China recognized the importance of remaining neutral and not siding with either party.
He noted China’s goodwill in seeking to help ease ongoing tensions between Thailand and Cambodia, but said the matters have to be resolved bilaterally.
“We didn’t criticize them. We just stated the facts, and we asked that they consider these concerns,” Sihasak said.
Beyond the border issue, China and Thailand agreed to set up a dialogue mechanism involving their foreign and defense ministers. China is to host the first round of talks, which would prioritize joint efforts to crack down on scam operations, Sihasak said.
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