BEIJING - China urged Cambodia and Thailand to resolve their border dispute through friendly dialogue, offering to play a constructive role by upholding an "objective and fair" position, its foreign ministry said.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged peaceful coexistence between the neighbours during a meeting on July 10 with his Thai counterpart Maris Sangiampongsa on the sidelines of an Asean summit in Malaysia, the ministry said in a statement.

"China is willing to uphold an objective and fair position and play a constructive role for the harmonious coexistence between Thailand and Cambodia," Mr Wang said.

Tension has risen between the South-east Asian neighbours since the end of May, after a Cambodian soldier was killed in a brief exchange of gunfire at a disputed area on their 820km border.

Last month, Cambodia asked the International Court of Justice to resolve the disputes.

Mr Wang reiterated China's impartiality on the border issue in a meeting with Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn also on July 10 , the ministry said in a separate summary.

He emphasised security measures to protect Chinese and Cambodians, calling for tougher action to "completely eradicate the tumour" of cross-border crimes such as online gambling, wire fraud, counterfeiting and smuggling.

Referring to US tariffs, he added that China believed South-east Asia had the ability to cope with the "complex situation" and safeguard common interests as well as those of individual nations. REUTERS

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