Southeast Asian Rivals Face Off at the Border
Clashes Escalate from Small Skirmish in Late May to Fighter Jet Engagements
Trump Warns, "Trade Will Be Suspended if Ceasefire Mediation Is Rejected"
Thailand and Cambodia, which recently engaged in an armed conflict over their border, will hold a summit in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, on July 28 to seek a ceasefire and resolve their dispute.
According to the Associated Press and other sources, Thai Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet will hold a ceasefire meeting at 3:00 p.m. in Kuala Lumpur on this day.
This meeting marks the first high-level direct talks between Thailand and Cambodia since their armed clash on July 24. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, as the chair of ASEAN, will mediate the talks.
On X (formerly Twitter), U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated, "Thailand and Cambodia are about to begin high-level negotiations in Malaysia to achieve an immediate ceasefire."
He added that U.S. State Department officials have already arrived in Malaysia and are working to support the negotiations.
Prime Minister Hun Manet also officially confirmed his attendance at the talks through social media the previous night, stating, "This meeting is co-hosted by the United States and Malaysia, and China is also expected to participate."
Based on these statements, it is presumed that China, a close ally of Cambodia, is also involved in the talks. The Thai Prime Minister's Office also announced that Acting Prime Minister Phumtham will attend the meeting on Monday at the invitation of Prime Minister Anwar.
Previously, U.S. President Donald Trump spoke separately with the leaders of both countries over the weekend, urging them to quickly agree to a ceasefire.
He also stated that if the two countries do not accept his mediation for a ceasefire, he will suspend the ongoing trade negotiations with them.
Thailand and Cambodia have been in continuous conflict since a small-scale skirmish at the end of May in Thailand's northeastern border area resulted in the death of one Cambodian soldier.
Since July 24, the armed clashes have escalated with the deployment of fighter jets, resulting in the deaths of 35 civilians and soldiers from both countries and injuring more than 130 people.
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