BEIJING, DEC 22 (APP/DNA): As friend and close neighbor of Cambodia and Thailand, China sincerely hopes that both countries will, based on safeguarding peace and stability along their borders and the fundamental interests of their people, quickly achieve a ceasefire, restore peace, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Monday.
He said that both Cambodia and Thailand are important members of ASEAN, and China appreciates and supports ASEAN, particularly Malaysia’s capacity to mediate, he said during his regular briefing in response to a question about the ongoing Special ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, regarding the current situation between Cambodia and Thailand.
Since the recent escalation of the Cambodia-Thailand conflict, China has been mediating and urging reconciliation in its own way. Foreign Minister Wang Yi has spoken with the foreign ministers of Cambodia and Thailand, and officials from the Chinese Foreign Ministry have maintained communication with Cambodia, Thailand, and other relevant ASEAN countries, he said.
Special Envoy for Asian Affairs Deng Xijun is conducting shuttle diplomacy between Cambodia and Thailand. China will release updates on Deng’s mediation efforts in due course and will continue to actively promote peace and dialogue, playing a constructive role in de-escalating the situation, Lin added.
