PHNOM PENH, July 16 -- Cambodian officials have praised Thailand for repatriating 109 illegal Chinese immigrants last week, saying that Thailand's decision showed its respect for China's sovereignty.

Phay Siphan, a spokesman for Cambodia's Council of Ministers, said Thailand had done well in international cooperation and contributed to maintaining world order.

"Thailand has showed its respect for the sovereignty of China by not interfering in China's internal affairs, this is a good and admirable gesture," he told Xinhua on Wednesday. "Thailand's decision has also contributed to maintaining international order."

His comments came after Thailand repatriated the 109 illegal Chinese immigrants to China on July 9.

The Chinese Ministry of Public Security said that those illegal immigrants had been on their way to Turkey, Syria or Iraq to join the Jihad before their repatriation.

Commenting on negative U.S. reactions to the issue, the spokesman said that it was "out of date" for the United States to put pressure on other countries and that some provocateurs are just out to make the world unstable.

Major General Ouk Hai Seila, chief of Cambodia's General Department of Immigration's investigation and procedure department, said Thailand was right to send those illegal immigrants back to China.

"Even in Cambodia, if we discover that any foreigners illegally enter Cambodia and have no valid documents, we have the right to deport them to their birth countries," he told Xinhua on Thursday.

He said under the immigration law, Thailand's deportation did not violate human rights.