China Faces Delicate Balancing Act Over Approach to Thailand, Cambodia Conflict

It Has Chance to Showcase Leadership But Must Not Be Seen to Be Disregarding Asean, Say Analysts

- Aw Cheng Wei

CHONGQING - China faces a delicate balancing act as it decides what role it should play in the ongoing border hostilities between Thailand and Cambodia, two South-east Asian nations that are its close neighbours and which it wields strong influence over.

Analysts told The Straits Times that while the clash, which began on July 24 and has so far reportedly left at least 16 dead, could present an opportunity for China to showcase its leadership in the region, the world's second-largest economy is likely to keep to its traditional approach of having the two countries resolve the matter on their own.

It is also likely to first look to Asean as it assesses how it can best help the process along.

But that does not mean that China will not attempt to bring both countries to the negotiating table as the conflict is happening in its neighbourhood, said Professor Fan Lei, an expert on China-Asean relations at China's Charhar Institute, an international relations think-tank.

Analysts pointed to how China can play a bigger role in the dispute between Thailand and Cambodia, given that China is both countries' top trading partner and thus wields strong economic influence over both states.

Thailand relies on Chinese imports such as machinery, electronics and vehicles.

China is also Thailand's top source of foreign tourists.

Meanwhile, bilateral trade between Cambodia and China grew 26.9 per cent in the first six months of 2025, compared with the same period in 2024, official data from Cambodia showed.