On February 6, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Both parties confirmed their commitment to further develop the relationship that has been established over the past 50 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China, and to strengthen cooperation in areas such as trade and investment.
At the same time, both sides expressed their intention to work together to address transnational crime. President Xi particularly praised the Thai government's strong measures in combating telecommunications fraud, supporting the disconnection of utilities to fraud groups, and stated that China is willing to further strengthen cooperation with Thailand to jointly combat crime.
The spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office of Thailand, Kirati, stated that at 10:00 AM local time on February 6, Prime Minister Prayut met with President Xi at the Great Hall of the People and began a four-day official visit. At the beginning of the meeting, Prayut extended New Year greetings to President Xi and expressed his joy at visiting China in this special year—the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China.
Currently, China is Thailand's most important economic partner, having been Thailand's largest trading partner for 12 consecutive years. Meanwhile, China is also a major source of investment in Thailand, with cumulative investments exceeding 100 billion US dollars, reflecting deep cooperation in multiple areas. Both leaders agreed to promote the prosperity of Thai-Chinese cooperation over the next 50 years, especially committed to passing these achievements on to the next generation.
In this meeting, President Xi also conveyed his blessings to the King of Thailand and reiterated the cooperative achievements based on the principle of shared prosperity over the past 50 years.
President Xi emphasized China's support for Thailand's important role in bilateral, multilateral, and regional cooperation frameworks, and suggested expanding areas of cooperation, including high-speed rail construction, digital economy, the Eastern Economic Corridor, and economic cooperation through Thailand, Laos, and China to promote joint development.
Additionally, China will promote more Thai enterprises to enter the Chinese market, especially through the "China International Import Expo" (CIIE), providing a platform for showcasing products and services from both countries. In terms of military cooperation, Thailand and China have already cooperated on submarine projects.
Prime Minister Prayut mentioned that there has been positive progress in connectivity between Thailand and China. The Thai government had approved a series of cooperation projects through a cabinet resolution on February 4, including the construction of high-speed railways connecting regions, particularly the second phase from Bangkok to Nong Khai.
At the same time, the Thai side plans to further deepen railway cooperation with China through the State Railway of Thailand, expanding beyond a single railway system. Additionally, Thailand has proposed several economic stimulus projects, such as integrated entertainment complexes and land bridge projects, which will bring new economic opportunities to both countries.
The Thai side also suggested that relevant departments jointly develop standards to optimize import and export management, especially for agricultural products, to promote cooperation between enterprises of both countries and benefit Chinese consumers.
Prime Minister Prayut emphasized that the Thai government places great importance on ensuring the safety of the public and tourists in Thailand and expressed willingness to cooperate deeply with China in combating transnational crime. Both sides will address transnational crime issues through systematic cooperation mechanisms, especially telecommunications fraud. It is gratifying that relevant countries in the region, including both countries, have already engaged in close cooperation in combating these criminal activities.
President Xi stated that China firmly supports cooperation with Thailand in combating crimes such as online fraud, kidnapping, and human trafficking, emphasizing that these criminal activities seriously harm the interests of the Chinese people.
President Xi noted that combating illegal activities is a common goal of both countries and reviewed the successful cooperation between China and neighboring countries in combating drug crimes. Transnational crime is considered a significant global challenge with very high risks, and President Xi particularly praised the Thai government's efforts in this area, especially in cutting off criminals' access to water, internet, and fuel supplies, successfully curbing the occurrence of criminal activities.
He stated that China believes that by strengthening bilateral and sub-regional law enforcement, both sides will be better able to protect the safety and interests of their peoples.
President Xi also mentioned that in terms of people-to-people cooperation, both sides will continue to strengthen cultural and people-to-people exchanges, especially in a series of activities celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China.
For example, arranging for the placement of the Buddha's tooth relic at Lingguang Temple in Beijing for veneration in Thailand, organizing cultural relics exchange activities, donating giant pandas, promoting exchanges among young people, and providing scholarships. These cultural and soft power exchanges will promote mutual learning between the two countries in traditional and modern cultural media. President Xi emphasized that media and cultural cooperation will be a long-standing project between the two countries and will be passed down through generations.
Kirati stated: "The Prime Minister emphasized that Thailand and China deeply recognize the importance of cooperation in human resource development, especially in future fields, because 'people' are the foundation of national development and the key to the development of Thai-Chinese relations. Thailand is also committed to exchanges and cooperation in education, culture, and soft power, laying a solid foundation for the common future of both countries."
In this meeting, Prime Minister Prayut and President Xi also reached a consensus on supporting the roles of both countries on the international stage, especially in promoting the United Nations as the center for global cooperative development, promoting inclusive economic cooperation, and supporting ASEAN's central role in regional cooperation.
President Xi congratulated Thailand on becoming a cooperative partner of the BRICS countries and expressed anticipation for Prime Minister Prayut's visit, looking forward to meeting with the Prime Minister in Harbin tomorrow. Kirati stated that the Prime Minister also wished for the successful completion of the 9th Winter Asian Games.
