Even Though Trump Is Reluctant To China To Attend, This Bamboo Curtain Country Still Supports Kuala Lumpur's Declaration

China (Photo: Unsplash)

JAKARTA - China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemlu) emphasized that China still supports the Kuala Lumpur Declaration as a peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia, even though the President of the United States (US) Donald Trump reportedly does not want any officials from the Bamboo Curtain country to attend.

Previously, Malaysian Foreign Minister (Menlu) Mohamad Hasan announced that US President Donald Trump would participate in facilitating the signing of the Kuala Lumpur Declaration peace agreement between Thailand and Cambodia in Kuala Lumpur on October 26, 2025, on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit.

"China supports Cambodia and Thailand in handling and resolving border disputes well through dialogue and consultation, as well as supporting Malaysia in carrying out its role as chairman of ASEAN's rotation," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian quoted Antara as saying.

US media reported that Trump asked officials from China not to attend the deal, although actually China and Malaysia also played an important role in ceasefire negotiations between Thailand and Cambodia.

The 47th ASEAN Summit is scheduled to take place in Kuala Lumpur on 26-28 October 2025 which will bring together heads of state from 10 Southeast Asian countries and other dialogue partners, such as China, Japan, and the US.

Trump is said to be very enthusiastic about the realization of the agreement.

"Camboja and Thailand are and will always be neighbors to each other. China hopes that Cambodia and Thailand will be involved in equal consultations in the spirit of mutual understanding and accommodation, as well as working together to find solutions that can be accepted by the two countries," said Lin Jian.

Since the conflict began, China has actively encouraged negotiations to defuse the conflict in its own way.

"China has and will continue to play a constructive role to rebuild trust, strengthen the ceasefire, and resolve disputes between Cambodia and Thailand peacefully," said Lin Jian.

The agreement was agreed as a solution to the conflict in the border areas of Thailand and Cambodia.

Tensions on the 800 km border between Thailand and Cambodia escalated into armed confrontations on July 24, 2025.

After clashes in border areas, both sides were involved in a shootout that had killed at least 40 people and about 300,000 residents of the two countries were forced to flee.

Cambodia uses the Grad double rocket launcher system, including against civilian targets in the Thai region, while Thailand launched airstrikes against Cambodian military positions. Both sides reported casualties, including civilians.

Tensions also continued to the political elite. At that time, Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra called the Chairman of the Cambodian Senate Presidium Hun Sen informally. Hun Sen then disseminated the conversation on his Facebook account.

Paetongtarn called Hun Sen as uncle in the telephone conversation, because Paetongtarn was the daughter of former Thai Prime Minister 2001-2006 Thaksin Shinawatra who was a close friend of Hun Sen.

But in the tape, Pautongtarn seemed to defend Hun Sen. There was even a moment when he shouted at one of the Thai military generals so that Paetongtarn was considered to be degrading to the authority of the Thai state and military and ended up impeaching Thai parliament.

Then on July 28, 2025, Thailand and Cambodia announced a ceasefire agreement immediately after a meeting between Thailand's Acting Prime Minister (PM) Famtham Wechayachai and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet mediated by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim in Kuala Lumpur.