What changed
China, Cambodia and Thailand held their third Track II dialogue in Shenzhen on October 11, hosted by the Chinese Foreign Affairs University. Nearly 100 scholars, civil-society and humanitarian representatives, and university students discussed how to turn the Fuxian meeting’s peace consensus into practical steps.
Four working groups proposed:
- withdrawing heavy weapons to rebuild trust;
- exploring limited, gradual reopening of border checkpoints;
- launching cooperation on humanitarian mental-health support;
- creating youth peace exchanges, including mediation training and digital-skills courses.
Why it matters
The meeting moves the conversation from broad reconciliation toward the machinery of daily peace. Border security, checkpoint access, disrupted livelihoods, public health and youth participation are not side issues here. They are the places where a ceasefire either becomes durable or starts to fray.
The economic group’s proposal for limited border reopening is especially concrete. Even a gradual reopening would test whether the two countries can restore movement and local routines without reigniting tensions. The humanitarian group’s mental-health plan also widens the definition of recovery: rebuilding after conflict involves social and psychological support, not only security arrangements.
The strongest idea is also the hardest to implement: withdrawing heavy weapons. The participants described it as a practical way to accumulate trust, but the dialogue itself does not show that governments have adopted the proposal, funded it or set a timetable. Its value will depend on whether these recommendations move from discussion rooms into border policy and coordinated action.
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