Diplomats from Cambodia, Thailand and China meet to discuss border dispute
Strategic competition with Beijing demands clarity on American commitments and economic leverage.
The coverage treats China’s “help” as a neutral public service, as if Beijing is simply hosting neighbors and wishing everyone well. That assumption skips the obvious question: what does China gain by positioning itself as the region’s indispensable mediator? A ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia is welcome, but letting Beijing choreograph the next steps risks trading a border pause for longer-term leverage.
New Republican Times Editorial Board
Foreign ministers from Cambodia and Thailand have convened with their Chinese counterpart to discuss the border dispute between the two Southeast Asian countries. The trilateral meeting Monday was held in a southwestern Chinese province north of the region where the dispute is still simmering.
The meeting came two days after Thailand and Cambodia signed a fresh ceasefire agreement. It ended weeks of fighting that killed more than 100 people and forced hundreds of thousands of people to be evacuated on both sides of the border.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has called for joint efforts to promote regional peace, stability and development.
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New Republican Times Editorial Board
The coverage treats China’s “help” as a neutral public service, as if Beijing is simply hosting neighbors and wishing everyone well. That assumption skips the obvious question: what does China gain by positioning itself as the region’s indispensable mediator?
A ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia is welcome, but letting Beijing choreograph the next steps risks trading a border pause for longer-term leverage. Conservatives tend to notice how quickly “regional stability” becomes code for expanded Chinese influence, especially when talks happen on China’s turf and under China’s timeline.
The U.S. interest is not in picking sides in a centuries-old map dispute. It is in national security, freedom of navigation, and institutional stability for partners who do not want to be folded into China’s sphere. Diplomacy matters, but public trust requires clear-eyed motives, not feel-good framing.
Commentary written with AI assistance by the New Republican Times Editorial Board.