Thailand has raised concerns with China regarding the recent delivery of military tanks to Cambodia, a move that could potentially destabilize the delicate ceasefire between Thailand and its neighboring country. The issue was brought up by Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul during a recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. According to the Thai foreign ministry, the timing and manner of this military shipment are seen as potentially complicating the already tense relations between Thailand and Cambodia, despite several ceasefire agreements in place.
The Thai government reported that Cambodia received 39 Chinese-made T-59D battle tanks as part of an ongoing military cooperation agreement with China. Although there is no evidence that these tanks have been positioned near the Thai-Cambodian border, their delivery has raised alarms due to the volatile history between the two nations. Last year’s deadly border clashes continue to weigh heavily on bilateral relations, which are fraught with disputes over land and maritime boundaries that date back to colonial-era treaties and maps.
China, on the other hand, has stated that its defense cooperation with both Thailand and Cambodia is standard and does not target any outside parties. Earlier this year, China also supplied a Type 056 guided-missile corvette to Cambodia. The Chinese government has maintained a neutral stance, emphasizing that its military dealings are not meant to exacerbate tensions in the region.
Despite these assurances, Thai officials have stressed the necessity of resolving the ongoing dispute directly with Cambodia. They have acknowledged China’s neutral position and welcomed its efforts to mediate and reduce regional tensions. To further address the issues at hand, Thailand and China have agreed to create a new dialogue mechanism that involves their foreign and defense ministers. This initiative aims to tackle various concerns, with the first round of discussions set to focus on combating cross-border scam operations.