Cambodia-Thailand conflict:

China supports ASEAN

China: China expressed its support for the efforts of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to ease tensions between Cambodia and Thailand, and called on both sides to settle their dispute peacefully.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ma Zhaoxu said China is willing to work with that regional organization and the international community to solve the border dispute over the sovereignty of the Khmer temple Preah Vihear, which sparked armed clashes recently.

The Chinese Government has been in touch with Cambodian and Thai authorities since the beginning of this latest episode of tension, and has asked them to end military clashes and prevent the situation from deteriorating.

The dispute was renewed in early February, resulting in deaths, injuries and thousands fleeing from border areas. Although the International Court of Justice ruled in favor of Cambodia in 1962, granting that country sovereignty over the 11th-century temple, the border has never been completely demarcated.

The situation became worse in 2008, when the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) designated Preah Vihear as a World Heritage Site, and the temple became a tourist attraction. Beijing, Prensa Latina