20250217 Thailand Prime Minister Paetongarn Shinawatra in China 1

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, center, with Chinese Premier Li Qiang in Beijing on Feb. 6: Balancing relations with China and the U.S. has required some acrobatics from Paetongtarn and her cabinet. © Getty Images

Thai government walks tightrope between China and U.S.

Prime Minister Paetongtarn seeks to balance conflicting demands over Uyghurs and arms

FRANCESCA REGALADO

February 21, 2025 06:03 JST

BANGKOK -- At a time when the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is urging governments globally to take a hard line against refugees, asylum seekers and migrants without legal status, it is rare to hear a top American official speak out against deportation.

But last month, Marco Rubio, while fielding questions from fellow U.S. senators considering his nomination to be secretary of state, vowed to lobby Thailand not to send back a group of 48 Uyghur men from China's predominantly Muslim Xinjiang region detained since slipping across borders in 2014 to escape persecution.