China offers to help resolve Thailand-Cambodia border tensions

ANKARA

China has offered to help resolve border issues between its Southeast Asian neighbors Thailand and Cambodia.

The offer was made by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday during a meeting with his Thai counterpart Maris Sangiampongsa on the sideline of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers summit in Kuala Lumpur.

"China is willing to uphold an objective and fair position and play a constructive role in promoting the peaceful coexistence between Thailand and Cambodia," Wang said, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement on Friday.

Wang said both countries are friends of China and he hopes they will meet each other halfway in good faith, properly resolve the issue through friendly dialogue and consultation, and push for the situation to cool down and stabilize as soon as possible.

Tensions between Thailand and Cambodia have been simmering since May 28, when troops exchanged fire along the frontier, leaving one Cambodian soldier dead.

The two countries have since closed their borders.

*Writing by Islamuddin Sajid