US President Donald Trump has directed US officials to restart trade negotiations with Cambodia and Thailand following the countries’ agreement to cease fighting along a contested border.
“We have saved thousands of lives by ending this war. I have instructed my trade team to resume negotiations on trade,” Trump announced in a social media post yesterday. He indicated that he had recently spoken with Thailand’s Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet to confirm the ceasefire.
Trump’s comments reflect his approach of leveraging trade as a solution for geopolitical conflicts, taking credit for pressuring trading partners to end hostilities to maintain access to US markets.
In June, the United States facilitated a deal between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda to end years of conflict. Trump also claimed responsibility for defusing tensions between nuclear powers India and Pakistan earlier this year.
Yesterday, July 28, Thailand and Cambodia agreed to halt five days of conflict after discussions in Malaysia, hosted by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
Representatives from China and the US attended the negotiations, although their specific contributions were not immediately clarified. Recent clashes between the Southeast Asian neighbours displaced over 150,000 civilians along their 800-kilometre border.
After separate discussions with the countries’ leaders on July 26, Trump warned of blocking trade deals if the violence continued. Both Thailand and Cambodia face potential 36% levies on August 1 if agreements with the US are not reached.
“We’re not going to make a trade deal unless you settle the war,” Trump stated.
Following the meeting, both Thai and Cambodian leaders expressed gratitude to the Malaysian prime minister, US president, and China for facilitating the ceasefire.
In the past, Pakistan praised Trump after its conflict with India was paused, although New Delhi contested Trump’s assertion that the prospect of trade agreements influenced the ceasefire. India and Pakistan are engaged in trade discussions with the US ahead of the August 1 deadline.
Trump noted that the US stands to gain mineral rights from the Democratic Republic of Congo following their agreement. The Congo is a significant copper producer and the largest source of cobalt, playing a key role in Washington’s efforts to decrease reliance on Chinese supply chains for minerals essential to advanced technologies, reported Bangkok Post.
The story Trump revives US trade talks with Cambodia and Thailand post-ceasefire as seen on Thaiger News.
