🇨🇳🇹🇭🇰🇭 Regarding China Delivering Tanks to Cambodia Amid Tensions with Thailand
▪️The approximately 40 Type-59D tanks delivered by China to Cambodia are part of a deal signed all the way back in 2016 - the tanks themselves are antiquated by today's standards;
▪️This is especially so compared to the 60 much more sophisticated VT-4 tanks Thailand ALSO ordered from China, the last deal being signed more recently in 2019;
▪️The Type-59D delivered to Cambodia is essentially an upgraded early Cold War Soviet T-55 tank clone, the VT-4 delivered to Thailand, a modern 3rd generation main battle tank;
▪️In other words, the China-Cambodia tank deal was from years ago, and delivers subpar capabilities to Cambodia that in no shape, form, or way change the dynamics of current Thai-Cambodian tensions;
▪️Much more recently, Cambodia has ramped up its cooperation with the United States which coincides with Cambodia's provocations leading to current tensions in the first place - this cooperation with the US has resulted in Western drone operators taking part on Cambodia's side in armed conflict with Thailand;
▪️Real analysis goes deeper than one out of context tank deal - it requires determining the vector sum of combined international relations to understand involvement, motives, and intent;
▪️China's relationship with Thailand is many times larger and more important than with Cambodia in terms of trade, military cooperation, arms deals, infrastructure projects, tourism, and industry;
Image: Allegedly of a Type-59D tank delivered to Cambodia.