Analysis: The Role of the Great Powers in Thailand-Cambodia Ceasefire

TaiwanPlus News

Former U.S. ambassador to Myanmar Derek Mitchell discusses the ceasefire halting fighting between Thailand and Cambodia, as well as the roles played by the U.S. and China.

Transcript

00:00What do you make of U.S. President Trump's willingness to use tariffs as a tool to push

00:05for a ceasefire between Thailand and Cambodia? Well, he loves tariffs. He thinks it's the magic

00:09weapon that can be used on anything, it seems. But I mean, look, people use whatever leverage

00:15you can, I suppose, to try to end conflict. In the past, we've used political means,

00:20and this president in the United States decides to use economic means, assuming that that is

00:27good leverage on these countries if they care in the middle of tariff negotiations to put their

00:33economic interests above some of these very deep-seated national issues.

00:38Well, this part of the world is a place that China is very interested in. It's sort of in

00:41their backyard. What do you make of U.S. intervention and its significance for the region and maybe even

00:47for Taiwan? Well, I mean, the United States has always intervened on issues in quiet ways.

00:53Typically, I think President Trump tends to take a much more bombastic approach to things. So he took

00:59full credit for this, which I think is too much. But, you know, quiet diplomacy, phone calls to

01:06leaders, encouragement, diplomatic engagement to try to lower the tensions. That always helps. I think

01:12it can be helpful. You know, I think the Chinese, again, they do the same because it's in their interest

01:19and in their neighborhood and they have good relations with both Cambodia and Thailand.

01:26So, look, I think it's a question mark for the region where they do want to be responsible for their

01:33own affairs. They don't want to be coerced by great powers. They don't want great powers interfering in their

01:40internal affairs.

01:41This conflict between Thailand and Cambodia is longstanding and very emotive for both sides.

01:46Do you think the pressure from things like tariffs or from neighboring countries like China and

01:50Malaysia will be enough to put a lid back on this very deeply sensitive issue for people on both sides?

01:57Well, it remains to be seen. They've got to work it out between the two of them, obviously. It's a very

02:00deep-seated nationalist issue for both of them. There's a lot of resentment that goes back decades.

02:06It's not just a single point. It's along the border in many different areas. So they have to have

02:13communications and settle this. They do have a boundary commission. I don't think this ends things,

02:18but conflict is the worst time to settle disputes. You at least have to stop the conflict and then let

02:26cooler heads prevail. And hopefully there'll be dialogue to get to some kind of lasting, sustained,

02:32stable settlement of some kind.

02:36So what did you think?

02:38Stringing in the last couple is going to goēng it up in many different places.

02:46.

02:53.

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