China Offers to Mediate Between Thailand, Cambodia

China has offered to mediate between Thailand and Cambodia to help restore relations after the deadliest border clashes between the two nations in decades.

The move came as the foreign ministers of the three countries met in China for high-level talks.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held discussions yesterday with his Thai and Cambodian counterparts on the sidelines of the Mekong regional conference in Yunnan province. Following the meeting, Beijing’s foreign ministry issued a statement confirming that China was ready to provide necessary assistance, should both sides request it.

Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa expressed gratitude for China’s mediation role and called for deeper cooperation with Cambodia to clear landmines from border areas, according to a statement from his ministry posted on X.

Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of Cambodian migrant workers are returning from Thailand. The fragile ceasefire, brokered by Malaysia with support from the United States and China, remains in place as officials work to address the root causes of the dispute.

The mass return has sparked anxiety among many migrants, who have been forced to abandon jobs that allowed them to send vital remittances to their families. One worker, Kri Vart, said he began packing his belongings after reading a Facebook post from Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet urging citizens to return home.

Sitting on his doorstep with two large suitcases, he admitted uncertainty over whether fighting would truly end. With the number of Cambodians in Thailand dwindling, he said he feared being the last migrant left in the country.

He joined thousands of others crossing shoulder to shoulder through the Daung International Gate last week, carrying colorful bags and electrical appliances under sweltering 40°C heat.

The reasons behind the exodus are varied. Human rights activists reported that some Cambodian workers were attacked by Thai youth gangs, while unverified rumors spread panic among others, suggesting the Cambodian government would seize their land and revoke their citizenship if they did not return by mid-August.

According to Cambodia’s Ministry of Labor and Vocational Training, an estimated 1.2 million Cambodians were working in Thailand when border tensions escalated. Around 780,000—roughly 65 per cent, have since returned, the ministry’s spokesperson, Son Misa, confirmed.

The spokesperson added that returnees could find jobs at home offering comparable wages and benefits. Cambodian migrant workers are vital to Thailand’s agriculture, construction, and manufacturing sectors, collectively sending home nearly \$3 billion annually, ministry data shows.

Nathan Green, an assistant professor of geography at the National University of Singapore, warned that the loss of this income could be devastating for families dependent on it to repay large debts. He noted that such conflicts highlight the vulnerability of livelihoods for Cambodian migrant workers.