1. The 4^th Thailand - China Strategic Dialogue was held on 8 July 2019 in Beijing, the People’s Republic of China. The Meeting was co-chaired by H.E. Mrs. Busaya Mathelin, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand and H.E. Mr. Luo Zhaohui, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China. 

     

      2. The Meeting viewed that the convening of the 4^th Thailand - China Strategic Dialogue was timely given the significant changes taking place in Thailand and China as well as in the regional and international situation. The Meeting agreed to further promote bilateral relations between Thailand and China based on mutual respect, mutual benefit, and mutual trust.

 

      3. The Meeting reviewed and followed up on the implementation of the 3^rd Joint Action Plan on Thailand - China Strategic Cooperation (2017 - 2021), which has reached midway in its implementation, as follows:
 

          3.1 Political and Defense Cooperation : Both sides were pleased with the regular exchanges of high-level visits and meetings. The Thai side expressed the readiness to welcome the State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of China and the Premier of the State Council of China to pay official visits to Thailand and to participate in the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference (PMC) in August and the ASEAN Related Summits in November 2019, respectively. Both sides also agreed to promote other areas of cooperation such as anti-human trafficking and anti-money laundering. 
 

         3.2 Economic and STI Cooperation : The Meeting agreed to promote connectivity between Thailand and China through the Thailand - China Railway Cooperation Project, the Guangdong - Hong Kong - Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), the tripartite cooperation among Thailand - China - Japan in the construction of the high speed railway linking three airports in Thailand and the Smart City Project in the EEC, as well as cooperation on digital economy. These projects complement the connectivity strategies of Thailand 4.0 and Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Moreover, the Thai side expressed interest to learn from China’s success in poverty alleviation as discussed between Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and President Xi Jinping during the 2^nd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) and the G20 Summit, regarding which the Chinese side was pleased to share experiences with the Thai side.
 

         3.3 Social, Cultural and People-to-People Cooperation : The Meeting recognized the importance of promoting people-to-people connectivity through tourism and education, particularly cooperation on vocational education. The Thai side appreciated the Chinese side for supporting the implementation of children and youth development projects under the Royal Patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. 

 

      4. The Meeting exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interests. On regional cooperation, the Thai side expressed appreciation to the Chinese side for the support for Thailand’s ASEAN Chairmanship and informed the latter on the successful outcome of the 34^th ASEAN Summit which has adopted two important documents, namely, the “ASEAN Leaders’ Vision Statement on Partnership for Sustainability” and the “ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific.” The ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific is ASEAN’s vista in promoting engagement with external countries while maintaining ASEAN centrality in the regional architecture. Both sides reaffirmed the importance of implementing the ASEAN - China Strategic Partnership Vision 2030 towards concrete results and agreed to connect the BRI with the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025 (MPAC 2025). The Thai side invited the Chinese side to attend the ASEAN Smart Cities Network Conference and Exhibition on 22 - 23 August 2019 in Bangkok. The Chinese side readily accepted and supported the event. 

 

      5. The Meeting recognized the importance of enhancing connectivity in the sub-region and region, noting the complementarities, particularly between the Ayeyawady - Chao Phraya - Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS), of which the Chinese side is considering the invitation by the Thai side to join in the First Batch of Development Partners, and the Mekong - Lancang Cooperation (MLC), under which the Chinese side proposed the development of special economic zones. Both sides discussed cooperation in the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), including the proposal for China to have an enhanced role in ACD  and assume the ACD Chairmanship in the next three years, as well as the increased role of the ACD Secretariat. Both sides also agreed to expedite the conclusion of the negotiation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) by this year. 

 

      6. On the international frameworks, both sides discussed mutual support for respective  candidatures. The Chinese side thanked the Thai side for supporting China’s candidature in the position of Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. 

 

      7. The Meeting agreed to establish a Joint Working Group at the level of Deputy Director-General between the Department of East Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and the Department of Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China to follow up the implementation of the 3^rd Joint Action Plan on Thailand - China Strategic Cooperation and to prepare for the 5^th Thailand - China Strategic Dialogue to be hosted by Thailand in 2020.