The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand hosted the 6th Meeting of the Thailand (Northern Region) – Yunnan Cooperation Working Group during 19 – 21 July 2017 at the Le Meridien Hotel in Chiang Rai, Thailand. The meeting was co-chaired by Mr. Singtong Lapisatepun, Director-General of the Department of East Asian Affairs and Head of the Thailand (Northern Region) Working Group, and Mr. Li Jiming, Director-General of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Yunnan Provincial People’s Government of China and Head of the Yunnan Working Group. 

 

The meeting on 20 July 2017 was attended by about 80 participants from relevant agencies from Thailand and Yunan Province. Both sides exchanged views on the challenges that have affected areas of cooperation in the past two years and discussed how to promote closer cooperation in the future through the three Sub-Working Groups, namely, (1) the Sub-Working Group on Sister City Relations, Education, Culture, Tourism, Sports, and Others; (2) the Sub-Working Group on Transport and Connectivity; and (3) the Sub-Working Group on Trade, Investment and Logistics.

 

The meeting concluded with fruitful outcomes, recognizing the important role that the Working Group played as part of multi-level mechanisms of cooperation between Thailand and China, particularly within the context of Thailand and China’s current national development plans and strategies that complement each other. The record of discussion covered 13 areas of cooperation, namely, (1) trade, (2) investment, (3) transport, (4) agriculture, (5) healthcare and medical cooperation, (6) sister city relations, (7) tourism, (8) education, (9) culture and sports, (10) security cooperation, (11) science, (12) technology and innovation, and (13) cooperation in the fields of technology, finance, energy, digitisation, and telecommunication.

 

On 21 July 2017, the delegations from Yunnan Province and relevant Thai agencies paid a visit to the Chiang Khong Customs House to attend briefings on the responsibilities of relevant agencies along the border by representatives from the Ministry of Commerce, the Chiang Khong Customs House, the Chiang Saen Immigration Office, Chiang Rai Highway District 2, and the Chiang Khong District Office. The briefing session enhanced the Yunnan delegation’s understanding of Thailand. 

The Thailand (Northern Region) – Yunnan Cooperation Working Group was established in 2002 and was the first mechanism at a provincial level that Thailand established with the People’s Republic of China. The working group meets every 18 months. During the 6th Meeting of the Working Group, Mr. Narongsak Osotthanakorn, Governor of Chiang Rai Province, attended and delivered welcoming remarks. The working group could play an important role in enabling the Northern Region of Thailand and Yunnan Province to serve as “Bridges for the Future” by promoting closer cooperation between Thailand and the People’s Republic of China.