China Offers Mediation in Thailand-Cambodia Conflict After Trump's Peace Deal Crumbles

• China has offered to mediate the escalating Thailand-Cambodia border conflict, stepping into a diplomatic void left by the collapse of a US-brokered peace deal.
• A high-profile peace effort championed by US President Donald Trump, known as the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accord, failed to hold, with renewed clashes resuming in December.
• Trump's deal, formalised in late October, was rejected by Thai officials and saw continued artillery exchanges and civilian displacement.
• China's Special Envoy for Asian Affairs, Deng Xijun, has been dispatched to Bangkok and Phnom Penh to pursue de-escalation talks and encourage dialogue.
• Beijing's intervention aligns with its strategic interests in Southeast Asia, aiming to boost its regional standing, though its peacemaking track record has been mixed.

Why It Matters: China steps in to mediate Thailand-Cambodia conflict after Trump's peace deal fails, highlighting shifting regional dynamics.