An informal trilateral meeting among China, Cambodia, and Thailand was held in Shanghai on July 30, 2025. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, along with representatives from Cambodia and Thailand, attended the meeting. Photo: Courtesy of the Chinese Foreign Ministry

An informal trilateral meeting among China, Cambodia and Thailand was held in Shanghai on Wednesday. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong, along with representatives from Cambodia and Thailand, attended the meeting, according to the Chinese Foreign Ministry. 

Both Cambodia and Thailand reaffirmed their commitment to the ceasefire consensus and expressed appreciation for China's positive role in de-escalating the situation. The meeting was conducted in an open, friendly and cordial atmosphere, the ministry said.

It is China's latest diplomatic effort to facilitate the implementation of the ceasefire and create conditions for quickly restoring peace and stability along the Cambodia-Thailand border, Guo Jiakun, spokesperson from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told a press conference on Wednesday. 

Thailand and Cambodia agreed on Monday to an "immediate and unconditional" ceasefire to end the border clashes starting at midnight on Monday, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said, as the leaders of the two countries met in Malaysia after the conflict entered the fifth day, according to media reports.

Observation teams are to be deployed on Wednesday to monitor the implementation of a ceasefire between Cambodia and Thailand, Cambodian Defense Ministry Undersecretary of State and spokesperson Lieutenant General Maly Socheata said, the Xinhua News Agency reported. 

Socheata said in a press briefing on Wednesday that Malaysia, current chair of ASEAN, sent a high-level delegation led by Malaysian Armed Forces Chief of Defense Forces General Datuk Haji Mohd Nizam Bin Haji Jaffar to Cambodia on Tuesday, per Xinhua. 

However, Thailand's military accused Cambodian forces on Wednesday of breaching a ceasefire agreement at three separate locations along the disputed border, warning that continued aggression could compel Thai forces to respond more decisively, according to Reuters. 

ASEAN's role in facilitating the ceasefire agreement is undoubtedly commendable, Ge Hongliang, deputy director of the College of ASEAN Studies at Guangxi University for Nationalities, told the Global Times on Wednesday. 

It has also created a valuable and favorable environment for Cambodia and Thailand to eventually resolve their border conflicts, Ge said. 

With observers present, the ceasefire is likely to be implemented. However, it still depends on whether the two sides can engage in dialogue and rebuild mutual trust in the future, Ge added.

China practices the Global Security Initiative, promotes the building of a model of security for Asia featuring common security, seeking common ground while shelving differences, and dialogue and consultation, and stays committed to keeping the region peaceful and stable. China does not seek any selfish gains on the matter, and supports ASEAN in facilitating a political settlement of the situation between Cambodia and Thailand through the ASEAN way, Guo said. 

We stand ready to continue to maintain close communication with regional countries, namely Cambodia, Thailand, and Malaysia, to play a constructive role for cementing the ceasefire and restoring peace and stability at an early date, Guo said.