China Thailand Photo:VCG

 
The maintenance of peace and development in the international and regional arenas highlights the shared values of China-Thailand relations, Han Zhiqiang, Chinese Ambassador to Thailand, said during an interview with Thai media on Saturday on the occasion of the 48th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, according to the website of the Chinese Embassy in Thailand.  

Han further emphasized that China and Thailand have maintained close coordination and cooperation within frameworks such as the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation and China-ASEAN cooperation, committing to upholding regional stability and prosperity, as well as advocating multilateralism and a fair and equitable international order.

The China-Thailand "Falcon Strike-2023" joint air force exercise will resume this month at Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base after having been put on hold during the pandemic.
The military forces of China and Thailand have maintained a consistently positive relationship, engaging in regular joint training with the purpose of fostering military trust, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Sunday. He said the training curriculum will encompass both conventional and non-conventional security domains.

Political mutual trust has laid a solid foundation for the China-Thailand relationship, Han said, adding that China and Thailand have always shown mutual respect politically as comprehensive strategic partners, adhering to the international principle of non-interference in each other's internal affairs. The two countries support each other in pursuing development paths that are in line with their respective national conditions, he continued.

The Chinese Ambassador to Thailand expressed that over the past 48 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Thailand have built the closest economic and trade ties as well as a pattern of people-to-people exchanges. This has brought tremendous benefits to the people of both countries.
China is the largest export market for agricultural products from Thailand. In 2022, total agricultural trade between China and Thailand reached $13.1 billion, with Thailand's exports to China amounting to $10.3 billion, marking a growth of 3.1 percent. 

Besides, Thailand has long been one of the most popular destinations among Chinese tourists, making China the top source of international tourists and an economic pillar for the Southeast Asian country.

Amid the restoration of international travel in the post-epidemic era, closer cooperation in tourism is expected between China and Thailand, a Thai government officials said earlier, predicting that the number of Chinese tourists to Thailand may reach 500-700 million in 2023, a recovery of around 64 percent of the pre-epidemic level in 2019 amid China's optimized epidemic response and pent-up demand for international travel.

Experts said with the rapid recovery of the tourism industry and cooperation between China and Thailand in the post-pandemic era, closer people-to-people exchanges and information communication will further enhance bilateral relations and mutual trust between the two countries.

Global Times