A growing number of Cambodians have been fleeing from the border refugee camps in their country's Kampong Cham Province for fear that the tensions with Thailand will further escalate.
The Cambodia-Thailand border conflict has reignited since Dec 7, and both sides have accused the other of initiating the attacks.
On Tuesday, the Cambodian Defense Ministry's Undersecretary of State and Spokesperson, Lt. Gen. Maly Socheata, said the Thai military forces continued to fire artillery shells at many locations in Cambodian territory from Monday midnight until Tuesday morning.
On the same day, Cambodia's Interior Ministry said in a press release that the civilian death toll in Cambodia has increased to 15. The video footage released by China Media Group (CMG) showed that a village of Kampong Cham, which is located near a highway connecting the national capital Phnom Penh and the border area, is receiving a growing number of displaced refugees from the conflict zone.
The Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation said in a statement released on Monday that the sites targeted by the Thai military's artillery shelling and bombing have reached 80 to 90 kilometers inside Cambodia.
The increasing border tensions forced many Cambodians into the village.
"I feel that the refugee camps are no longer safe, so I chose to return to my hometown," said San Chhay, a refugee.
"Those who have relatives in this village all have come here. Now, those who have a car are on their way here, but those who don't have a car have no choice but to stay in the refugee camps," said Yuth Kunthea, a local villager.
The villagers said they learned of horrific scenes from their displaced relatives, and it took them great effort to escape the conflicts.
"My sister was terrified when she arrived because her home was only one kilometer from where the bombs were dropped," said Oeun Sreyhun, another villager.
"The travel was hard for my brother, because he took an infant with him and had to feed the baby with milk. He rode a motorcycle on mountain roads with a lot of luggage," said Leng Chamroeun, a villager.
Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on Tuesday reaffirmed the country's stance regarding the Thailand-Cambodia border situation, saying that Cambodia is required to be the first to declare a ceasefire, ensure the ceasefire is genuine and sustainable, and cooperate in mine clearance seriously and sincerely.
More Cambodians flee from refugee shelters amid escalating border tensions with Thailand
China's newly approved Inner Mongolia Pilot Free Trade Zone (FTZ) is expected to help turn the northern border areas into a new frontier of opening-up.
China on Thursday released a plan for the establishment of the China (Inner Mongolia) Pilot Free Trade Zone, bringing the total number of pilot free trade zones nationwide to 23. Leveraging its unique location linking Russia, Mongolia and wider Eurasia, the zone is designed to advance the country's high-level opening-up through policy support, industrial upgrading and improved connectivity.
The pilot FTZ covers 119.74 square kilometers and comprises three subzones in Hohhot, capital of the autonomous region, Manzhouli, a northern border city, and Erenhot, a land port on the China-Mongolia border, each tasked with differentiated functions and the development of industries tailored to local conditions.
Specifically, the Hohhot subzone will serve as a central hub, focusing on developing specialty industries and innovation clusters. The Manzhouli subzone will build on China-Russia-Mongolia cooperation to become an important gateway to Northeast Asia and Europe. The Erenhot subzone will tap into the China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor and serve as a model for cooperation with neighboring countries.
At the Hohhot Comprehensive Bonded Zone, a gold and silver refining project due to start operations will have an annual processing capacity of 100 tonnes of gold and 1,000 tonnes of silver.
The Manzhouli subzone will prioritize industries including the processing of imported resources, cross-border tourism, cross-border financial services and port services.
"Following the approval of the free trade zone, companies like ours are more confident in expanding our cross-border business further and broadening its scope. Specifically, we aim to achieve full coverage across the entire industrial chain," said Cui Rongzheng, head of Manzhouli Xincheng Supply Chain Limited Company.
Notably, in the first quarter of this year, the Erenhot Railway Port, a key hub on the "middle corridor" of the China-Europe Railway Express, handled a record-high 1,145 freight train trips, a 22.3 percent increase from last year, underscoring its role in stabilizing global supply chains and supporting foreign trade growth.
"The establishment of the Inner Mongolia Pilot Free Trade Zone will strengthen links between border provinces and China's inland regions, and enhance cooperation between land ports, coastal ports and inland ports. It is expected to play a key role in improving the wellbeing of ethnic minority populations in the border areas and turning China's northern border areas into a new frontier of opening-up," said Wang Xuekun, head of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation under the Ministry of Commerce.
Inner Mongolia FTZ subzones to drive coordinated opening-up
