China, Cambodia's Main Arms Supplier

Two of Indonesia's neighboring countries, namely Thailand and Cambodia, are currently embroiled in a deadly conflict.

According to a study by the International Crisis Group, Thailand and Cambodia have been disputing territorial borders since at least the 1950s.

That long-standing dispute has resurfaced, escalating into military clashes this year.

According to reports from the Cambodian media outlet, Khmer Times, during the period of December 7-22, 2025, these clashes have killed 21 Cambodian civilians and injured 83 people.

"At present, more than half a million Cambodian people, including women and children, are suffering severe hardship due to forced displacement from their homes and schools to escape artillery shells, rockets, and aerial bombardments carried out by Thailand’s F-16 aircraft," Khmer Times reported on Tuesday (December 23, 2025).

"The Cambodian forces will continue to monitor closely and stand strong, energetic, sharp, and vigilant in fulfilling their roles to protect Cambodia’s territorial integrity and our dignity with courage and determination," Khmer Times stated.

Furthermore, according to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), in recent years, Cambodia has received the most significant arms shipments from China.

During the period 2010-2024, SIPRI identified 10 arms delivery deals from China to Cambodia.

These contracts included agreements for the delivery of various military equipment, ranging from missiles, rocket launchers, and helicopters to aircraft for troop transport.

Other countries recorded as having arms delivery deals with Cambodia include Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Ukraine, Canada, Italy, Qatar, Russia, and Serbia, as shown in the graph.

SIPRI collects this data from publicly accessible sources, including media reports, arms company reports, arms export-import reports, government agency reports, and reports from international organizations such as The United Nations Register of Conventional Arms.