Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs discussed with State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of China on strengthening vaccine and bilateral cooperation for COVID-19 recovery and regional development cooperation as well as regional and sub-regional frameworks at the sideline of the Special ASEAN - China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN - China Dialogue Relations in Chongqing.

On 8 June 2021, H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand, had a bilateral meeting with H.E. Mr. Wang Yi, State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, on the sidelines of the Special ASEAN - China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN - China Dialogue Relations and the 6th Mekong - Lancang Cooperation Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Chongqing, the People’s Republic of China.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in the post-COVID-19 economic recovery, particularly cooperation on COVID-19 vaccines, with the Chinese side expressing its readiness to support and respond to Thailand’s vaccine procurement needs.

Both sides reiterated their willingness to enhance connectivity, including through the Thailand - China Railway Project and connectivity between the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) and Guangdong - Hong Kong - Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). Both sides also expressed readiness to promote collaboration on sustainable development in line with respective national development policies. In this regard, the Chinese side stands ready to support cooperation under Thailand’s Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy Model. The Thai side has taken this opportunity to follow-up on the Chinese side’s consideration of the requests by the Thai side for Thai students to be allowed to return to China to continue their studies and for Thai airlines to resume commercial flights to China at the earliest.

The two sides exchanged views on regional and sub-regional cooperation. They welcomed the 30th anniversary of ASEAN - China dialogue relations and expressed the determination to strengthen cooperation for the mutual benefit of all sides, as well as supported an early entry into force of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement.  The Chinese side supported the promotion of synergies between the Mekhong-Lancang Cooperation (MLC) framework and the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS), on which Thailand places importance, while also expressing readiness to support Thailand's hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in 2022, which will significantly contribute to the advancement of economic cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region.

In addition, both sides exchanged views on the situation in Myanmar. As Thailand and China are neighbouring countries of Myanmar, both sides wish for a return to stability and normalcy in Myanmar. In this connection, the Chinese side expressed support for the efforts by ASEAN to seek a peaceful resolution to the situation in Myanmar as well as the Five-Point Consensus reached at the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting in April 2021, and hoped that ASEAN would be able to dispatch the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair to Myanmar at the earliest opportunity.