On 21 -22 May 2015, H.E. General Tanasak Patimapragorn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, was invited by the Government of Shaanxi Province to attend the 19th Investment and Trade Forum for Cooperation between East and West China and the Silk Road International Expo in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, the People’s Republic of China.  Also present were representatives from the Republic of Korea, Republic of Romania, Republic of Kenya, United Republic of Tanzania, as well as international organizations and the private sector.    

As Thailand was designated as Country of Honour for Maritime Silk Road, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs delivered a speech at the opening of the Silk Road International Expo, commending the concept of maritime Silk Road and expressed Thailand’s readiness to support regional connectivity initiatives. He also visited the Thai Pavilion at the 19th  Investment and Trade Forum , which showcased the achievements of Thai government agencies as well as entrepreneurs and academic institutions.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs also met with Mr. Arken Imirbaki, vice-chairman of China's National People's Congress. Both sides affirmed the cordial relations between Thailand and China and looked forward to celebrating the 40th anniversary of the bilateral diplomatic relations. Both also welcomed the progress of cooperation on railways and agricultural products. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs also met with senior leaders of Shaanxi Province including Mr. Zhao Zhengyong, Secretary of the Shaanxi Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China, and Mr. Lou Jinqian, the Governor of Shaanxi. Both sides agreed that Thailand, as the hub of ASEAN, could be a trade and investment base for Shaanxi, while Shaanxi can serve as the gateway to Central Asia and Europe as the province is the starting point of the Silk Road under China’s One Belt, One Road policy.

Xi’an is a major city in Western China. It is an ancient capital with 3,000-year history and is also the starting point of the ‘Silk Road’ since the Han dynasty. Shaanxi Province is the hometown of President Xi Jinping. Thailand was the first country to open Consulate-General in Xi’an. Thailand and Xi’an shares close relations in recent years. Last year, 130,000 Shaanxi tourists visited Thailand, while 21,000 Thais travelled to Shaanxi. For education, there are cooperation among universities such as Shaanxi’s Northwest University and Thailand’s Kasetsart University, Silpakorn University, and Assumption University. In addition, Thai entrepreneurs invest in Shaanxi in the fields of agriculture, drugs, and retails, while Shaanxi investment in Thailand includes natural gas and chemicals.