China has dismissed allegations that it was supplying weapons to Cambodia amid its ongoing border conflict with Thailand, which has led to at least 33 deaths and hundreds of thousands displaced.
Chinese officials denied supplying any new weapons or military support to the Cambodian Armed Forces amid the conflict, which has spilled into its third day.
Senior Col Sheng Wei, deputy director of the Asia division of the Office of International Military Cooperation (OIMC) of China’s People Liberation Army, said all the Chinese military equipment currently possessed by Cambodia are “the result of historical cooperation projects”.
“Since tensions began along the Thailand-Cambodia border, China has not provided any military equipment to Cambodia for use against Thailand. Please do not believe fake news generated by malicious actors,” Col Sheng Wei said, according to The Straits Times.
The conflict began on Thursday, with the two nations trading air strikes along contested stretches of their 817km border. More than a dozen people were killed on the first day of conflict, prompting hundreds of thousands to evacuate from border areas between the two nations.
Thailand reported clashes in multiple areas along the border on Friday, including near the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple, which is claimed by both nations.
The Thai Army accused Cambodian forces of using heavy artillery and Russian-made BM-21 rocket launchers, prompting them to engage in what they called “appropriate supporting fire” in return.
Thailand's UN ambassador Cherdchai Chaivaivid called Cambodia's actions a “flagrant act of aggression” and a “serious” breach of international law.
“Thailand further strongly condemns Cambodia’s indiscriminate attacks against civilians, civilian objects, and public facilities, particularly hospitals, which constitute a flagrant violation of the Geneva Conventions of 1949,” the Thai UN ambassador said.
Thailand also blamed Cambodia for laying new landmines – one of which injured a Thai soldier- and called for a quick military response.
Cambodia, on the other hand, accused Thailand of launching air strikes and dropping bombs on roads inside its territory.
It expressed outrage at Thailand’s use of what it claimed was a large amount of cluster munitions, labelling it a violation of international law. Both sides claim to have acted in self-defence.
Cambodia also said it sought a “peaceful solution to the dispute”. Cambodia’s UN Ambassador Chhea Keo told reporters that the country “asked for immediate ceasefires, unconditionally”.
He responded to accusations that Cambodia attacked Thailand, asking how a small country with no air force could attack a much larger country with an army three times its size.
Cambodia has a defence budget of $1.3bn in 2024 with 124,300 active military personnel, compared to Thailand’s well-funded military that has a defence budget of $5.73bn in 2024 and over 360,000 active army personnel.
The conflict has entered its third day on Saturday, with the death toll climbing to 33 and tens of thousands seeking refuge.
Amid speculations of China providing weapons to the Cambodian army, a Chinese delegation meeting Thai officials in Beijing requested that its clarification be communicated to the Thai public in the interest of regional stability and trust.
The delegation said the Chinese weapons in the Cambodian armoury are from past military cooperation agreements, adding that no new military support has been provided.
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