China offers to help resolve Thailand, Cambodia border dispute

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Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged peaceful coexistence between the neighbours during a meeting on July 10.

PHOTO: REUTERS

BEIJING - China urged Cambodia and Thailand to resolve their border dispute through friendly dialogue, offering to play a constructive role by upholding an objective and fair position, its foreign ministry said.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged peaceful coexistence between the neighbours during a meeting on July 10 with his Thai counterpart Maris Sangiampongsa on the sidelines of an Asean summit in Malaysia, the ministry said in a statement.

China is willing to uphold an objective and fair position and play a constructive role for the harmonious coexistence between Thailand and Cambodia, Mr Wang said.

Tension has risen between the South-east Asian neighbours since the end of May, after a

Cambodian soldier was killed in a brief exchange of gunfire

Last month, Cambodia asked the International Court of Justice to resolve the disputes.

Mr Wang reiterated Chinas impartiality on the border issue in a meeting with Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn also on July 10, the ministry said in a separate summary.

He emphasised security measures to protect Chinese and Cambodians, calling for tougher action to completely eradicate the tumour of cross-border crimes such as online gambling, wire fraud, counterfeiting and smuggling.

Referring to US tariffs, he added that China believed South-east Asia had the ability to cope