China Looks On As Ally Fights Border War

The ongoing border skirmish between Thailand and Cambodia continues, with a December 7 exchange of fire breaking the fragile ceasefire signed in Kuala Lumpur less than five months before. China, a diplomatic heavyweight and major source of weapons for both countries, seems to be taking a wait-and-see approach as the conflict rages on its doorstep. Cambodia is widely viewed as a client state of Beijing. Phnom Penh is heavily dependent on Chinese investment, receiving $12 billion in Chinese funding between 2013 and 2022. Cambodia also leans heavily on China for arms sales, and the modernization of Ream Naval Base, which…