Feb 8, 2025
Government of the Kingdom of Thailand and Government of the People's Republic of China on Advancing the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership
At the invitation of Premier Li Qiang of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, His Excellency Pathongtan Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand, will pay an official visit to the People's Republic of China from February 5 to 8, 2025. This is the first of a series of high-level exchanges in 2025, aimed at commemorating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The theme of this visit is "Golden Jubilee of Thai-Chinese Friendship."
During his visit, Prime Minister Pathongtan Shinawatra paid a courtesy call on President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China, held a bilateral meeting with Premier Li Qiang, and met with Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. Prime Minister Pathongtan Shinawatra also attended the opening ceremony of the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province.
Both sides reaffirmed that Thailand and China are good neighbors, good relatives, and good partners, respecting each other, committed to mutual assistance and understanding, and sharing a common vision for the future. Since establishing diplomatic relations on July 1, 1975, and forming a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in 2012, both sides have continuously enhanced mutual trust, promoted mutually beneficial cooperation, and deepened people-to-people exchanges, bringing tangible benefits to the people of both countries and contributing to the stability and development of both countries and the region. Both sides also reaffirmed the commitment made by President Xi Jinping during his historic visit to Thailand in 2022 to build a Thai-Chinese community with a shared future, aiming to enhance stability, prosperity, and sustainable development, and agreed to continue deepening bilateral cooperation towards this goal.
The 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China is an important milestone for both countries in maintaining a positive momentum of development, further advancing the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, and effectively addressing traditional and emerging challenges with a forward-looking and people-centered approach. To this end, both sides will continue high-level interactions and promote close exchanges between central and local governments, legislative bodies, and other sectors. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China in 2025, both sides will strengthen bilateral cultural exchanges and mutual learning, deeply rooting the kinship of "Thailand and China as one family" in the hearts of the people of both countries. Thailand praised China's achievements and transformation under President Xi Jinping's leadership in the new era, as well as its significant contributions to maintaining world peace, stability, and sustainable development. Thailand congratulated China on the successful hosting of the 9th Asian Winter Games and appreciated China's positive role in promoting unity and friendship within the Asian family. China commended Thai Prime Minister Pattonthan Shinawatra for the remarkable achievements in Thailand's socio-economic development in a short period since taking office. China expressed its firm support for the new Thai government led by Prime Minister Pattonthan Shinawatra and its willingness to align China's various development strategies and important initiatives, including the Belt and Road Initiative, global development initiatives, global security initiatives, and global civilization initiatives, with Thailand's development policies to jointly advance the modernization process of both countries.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to continuing mutual support on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns. China respects Thailand's national independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, supports Thailand in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions, and supports Thailand in playing a greater role in global and regional affairs. Thailand firmly adheres to the one-China policy, recognizes the government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legal government representing the whole of China, recognizes Taiwan as an inseparable part of China, and does not support any "Taiwan independence" claims. Thailand also supports China's "one country, two systems" policy.
Thailand and China will continue to advance cooperation in areas such as economic resilience, high-quality development, clean energy, the digital economy, and green development. Both sides will promote bilateral trade by expanding market access, promoting high-quality products, and expanding e-commerce cooperation. Furthermore, they will continue to advance relevant practical cooperation projects, including a pilot project for mutual protection of geographical indications, and combat intellectual property infringement. The two countries will also cooperate to strengthen the supervision of product standards and certification, quality and safety, and encourage the use of electronic trade documents, thereby continuously improving trade facilitation. In addition, Thailand and China will strengthen supply chain connectivity, especially in the semiconductor, electronic battery, electric vehicle, and advanced electronics industries. Both countries will encourage exchanges between enterprises, including participation in each other's trade exhibitions, and jointly maintain a fair trading environment. The two countries will strengthen bilateral cooperation in the energy sector, particularly in clean energy development and energy transition, and continue to advance related cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Energy Partnership. Regarding investment promotion, Thailand welcomes establishing a long-term investment partnership with China, including capital market connectivity, facilitation of cross-border financial products, and R&D cooperation, particularly in future-oriented innovative and advanced industries such as artificial intelligence, healthcare, environmental protection, and electric vehicles. Both sides will accelerate negotiations on a joint action plan under the framework of the "Five-Year Development Plan for Economic and Trade Cooperation between the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Government of the People's Republic of China (2025-2029)," striving to reach an agreement as soon as possible.
Both sides recognize that strengthening connectivity will be a catalyst for regional economic integration and common growth, and agree to expedite the construction of the first phase of the Thai-Chinese high-speed railway, finalize the cooperation model, and launch the second phase as soon as possible. Both sides emphasize the need to steadily advance the Thai-Laos-China Connectivity Development Corridor plan to ensure seamless connectivity among the three countries as soon as possible. Both sides also agree to jointly strengthen road and rail transportation and optimize customs and animal and plant quarantine procedures. Furthermore, both sides agree to leverage Thailand's strategic location in the heart of Southeast Asia to strengthen regional connectivity in all aspects, including infrastructure, logistics, regulation, and digital connectivity, to align with the Belt and Road Initiative and promote regional connectivity.
Both sides will promote substantive cooperation in science and technology, aiming to cultivate a new generation of high-quality productivity, enhance competitiveness, and promote sustainable growth for decades to come. In particular, both sides agreed to strengthen joint research and talent training cooperation in scientific and technological innovation fields such as agricultural technology, health technology, and biotechnology, to ensure a long-term and sufficient supply of high-quality talent and enhance their respective scientific and technological innovation capabilities.
Both sides emphasized that people-to-people exchanges are an important cornerstone of bilateral relations and agreed to strengthen and expand practical cooperation in key areas such as culture, education (especially in improving vocational skills, socio-cultural skills, and language skills), media communication, sister city development, and soft power. Furthermore, both sides agreed to further utilize the visa exemption agreement for ordinary passport holders to promote people-to-people exchanges. Both sides also agreed to strengthen tourism cooperation, promote high-quality tourism, new types of tourism, and tourism safety, and encourage airlines to increase direct flights between lesser-known cities in both countries. Both sides will encourage cooperation in media, publishing, broadcasting, film, and other fields to combat fake news and misinformation and enhance the people of both countries, especially the younger generation, to improve their understanding and friendship towards both nations. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China, Thailand expressed its gratitude to China for allowing the exhibition of the Buddha's tooth relic from Lingguang Temple in Beijing in Thailand, which will help enhance the traditional friendship and cultural exchanges between the two countries. Furthermore, China will actively consider Thailand's request to continue international cooperation on giant panda research, and both sides will prepare for this cooperation in accordance with relevant international standards.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to promoting regional peace and stability through strengthened traditional and non-traditional security cooperation, including military exchanges at all levels, joint military exercises and training, defense industry cooperation, capacity building, personnel training, and technology transfer.
Both sides emphasized the urgent need to strengthen bilateral cooperation and cooperation through the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation mechanism and other existing regional frameworks (such as cooperation among Thailand, China, Laos, and Myanmar in patrols and law enforcement operations along the Mekong River) to combat transnational crimes such as human trafficking, online fraud, cybercrime, drug trafficking, illegal online gambling, and money laundering with a firm zero-tolerance stance. Both sides will further explore the early establishment of an effective coordination mechanism to combat telecommunications fraud and illegal online gambling. Both sides agreed to participate more actively in the "Safe Mekong Action" and jointly promote cooperation among Mekong-Lancang countries in the judicial field to safeguard the lives and property of people in the region.
Both sides called for joint efforts to address climate change and combat air pollution. Furthermore, they agreed to promote cooperation and improve people's living standards by exchanging best practices and coordinating efforts in poverty reduction, rural development, and disaster prevention, preparedness, and mitigation.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to promoting health cooperation through a Memorandum of Understanding in the health sector to address common health challenges and to strengthening cooperation in areas such as health security, health technology, and traditional medicine.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining ASEAN centrality, strengthening ASEAN-led mechanisms, promoting an open and inclusive regional architecture, and fostering regional development and cooperation. Both countries agreed to jointly build a peaceful, secure, prosperous, beautiful, and friendly homeland, advance the ASEAN-China comprehensive strategic partnership, and build a closer ASEAN-China community with a shared future.
Both sides agreed to further promote the high-quality implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), expressed support for Hong Kong's accession to the RCEP, and looked forward to completing and signing the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement 3.0 upgrade protocol as early as 2025. Both countries will advance mutually beneficial cooperation within the framework of the ASEAN Indo-Pacific Vision and the Belt and Road Initiative, while exploring new cooperation opportunities within the framework of global development initiatives to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Both sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, security, and stability in the South China Sea, and the necessity of seeking a peaceful resolution to disputes. They will continue to work with other ASEAN member states to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and promote the early conclusion of a practical and effective Code of Conduct in the South China Sea in accordance with international law.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to advancing sub-regional cooperation through existing frameworks such as the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Mechanism, the Ayeyarwady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy, and the Greater Mekong Subregion Economic Cooperation Plan. As co-chairs of the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Mechanism, both sides will utilize the upcoming leaders' meeting in Thailand to deepen regional cooperation, including in areas such as connectivity, water resource management, technological innovation, and the digital economy, and jointly address pressing challenges such as air pollution and transnational crime. Thailand looks forward to the attendance of Chinese leaders at this important meeting.
Both sides agreed that Thailand and China share broad common interests and similar positions in international affairs. Both sides will firmly uphold the international system with the United Nations at its core, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. Both sides will safeguard international fairness and justice, uphold international solidarity and cooperation, and promote the common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom for humanity. Both sides will uphold the open, transparent, inclusive, non-discriminatory, and rules-based multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization (WTO) at its core, and actively promote WTO reform to make economic globalization more open, inclusive, balanced, and beneficial to all. Furthermore, both sides will further strengthen strategic communication in multilateral forums such as APEC, BRICS, and the Asia Cooperation Dialogue. In this regard, China congratulated Thailand on becoming a BRICS partner country, and Thailand looks forward to China's active support for its application to join as a full member of BRICS. In addition, Thailand also expressed its full support for China's bid to host the 2026 APEC Summit and looks forward to working with APEC members to ensure the summit's complete success and fruitful results.
During the visit, the two sides signed cooperation documents in areas including economic development, digital economy, artificial intelligence, customs facilitation and market access (aquaculture), nuclear technology, lunar exploration, green development, postal services, and news media.
Thai Prime Minister Paithongtan Shinawatra expressed her sincere gratitude for the warm hospitality extended to her and the Thai delegation by the Chinese side and invited Chinese leaders to visit Thailand at a time convenient for both sides. The Chinese leaders gladly accepted the invitation.
[Reprint Statement] This article is reprinted from: Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Author: Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Original Link: https://mfa.go.th/en/content/joint-statement-th-ch-2025-en?utm_source.com
Thailand Business Center
February 8, 2025