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Thailand, Cambodia to hold GBC meeting with observers from China, US, and Malaysia amid lingering tensions

Global Times

By Fan Anqi Published: Aug 03, 2025 11:24 PM

The General Border Committee (GBC) meeting between Thailand and Cambodia, which will be held in Kuala Lumpur from Monday to Thursday, has agreed to the inclusion of representatives from China, the US, and this year's ASEAN chair Malaysia as observers.

A trilateral meeting via video conference between Malaysia, Thailand and Cambodia was held on Saturday in preparation for the GBC meeting, The Nation Thailand reported on Sunday. This discussion demonstrates the parties' commitment to peaceful engagement and constructive dialogue, and it will hopefully contribute to the collective responsibility to uphold peace and stability in the ASEAN region, according to a Facebook post by Malaysian Defense Minister Khaled Nordin, the report said.

Thailand's Acting Defense Minister General Natthapon Nakpanich welcomed the consensus on holding the extraordinary GBC meeting in Malaysia. "It is my pleasure to confirm that Thailand accepts the proposal to include representatives from Malaysia, as the ASEAN Chair, US and China, who have been providing assistance since July 28, as observers to the GBC meeting," he said in a statement, The Star reported.

He added that the participation of observers from the three countries is scheduled to take place on August 7.

On July 31, Cambodia's Defense Minister, General Tea Seiha, sent a letter to invited General Nattaphon Narkphanit, Thailand's Deputy Defense Minister, proposing that Malaysia, the US and China participate as observers at the GBC meeting, acknowledging their important role as mediators during the ceasefire on July 28.

"We sincerely hope that this meeting will be constructive and yield positive results," said Lieutenant General Maly Socheata, spokesperson for Cambodia's Ministry of Defense.

However, former Cambodian Prime Minister and Senate President Hun Sen has issued a serious warning on his social media channels regarding heightened tensions along the border with Thailand. Citing an earlier statement from the Ministry of National Defense spokesperson, Hun Sen indicated that there is a significant possibility that the Thai military may initiate a military attack on Cambodia tonight, according to local media.

The selection of the three countries as observers to attend the meeting reflects Cambodia and Thailand's recognition of China' increasingly important role and Malaysia as ASEAN rotating chair have played in addressing regional conflicts, Xu Liping, Director of the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday.

"ASEAN countries positively acknowledge China's role in regional security affairs. China enjoys good relations with both Thailand and Cambodia, and this strong foundation of political trust enables China to play an active mediating role. China's stance is clear and impartial, consistently advocating for halting conflicts, promoting peace, and resolving issues through negotiations," said Ge Hongliang, deputy director of the College of ASEAN Studies at Guangxi University for Nationalities.

The selection of Malaysia, Xu noted, indicates that as ASEAN member states, Cambodia and Thailand are expected to resolve disputes through peaceful negotiations in accordance with the ASEAN Charter. And for Malaysia, as rotating chair, hosting the meeting aligns with the Charter's principles which makes it both reasonable and legitimate.

The conflict along the Thai-Cambodian border began with a brief skirmish on May 28 and escalated into armed clashes on July 24. On July 28, Thailand and Cambodia agreed to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire following a special meeting hosted in Putrajaya by Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, media reported.

"The focus of this meeting is expected to be on conflict resolution," Ge told the Global Times, noting that while the ceasefire agreement has taken effect, sporadic clashes still persist, indicating that underlying tensions remain unresolved.

The most critical aspect is whether both sides can rebuild mutual trust at the political level, especially after the "phone call incident" that significantly undermined the political trust between Thailand and Cambodia. Additionally, restoring diplomatic relations is essential, the expert noted.