On 4 - 5 July 2022, H.E. Mr. Wang Yi, State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, visited Thailand as guest of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. On this occasion, the State Councilor paid a courtesy call on H.E. Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha (Ret.), Prime Minister of Thailand, at the Government House and had bilateral discussions with H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. He also joined a luncheon in his honour hosted by Deputy Prime Minister Don at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand.

Both sides welcomed the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership and the 47th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China this year. In this regard, the two Ministers agreed to set goals for future development of the relations, regarding which both sides would discuss ways towards forging a Thailand-China Community with a Shared Future for enhanced stability, prosperity, and sustainability and building a Thailand-Laos-China Connectivity Development Corridor with a view to linking logistic networks to promote trade and investment as well as the development of the sub-region at large, and facilitate smoother transport of agricultural products from Thailand to China and, through China, onwards to Europe.

On bilateral issues, both sides reaffirmed readiness to work more closely together to promote socio-economic recovery from the effects of COVID-19 and the challenges of the global situation. In this regard, the Thai side expressed appreciation to the Chinese side for facilitating flows of agricultural products and perishable goods transported from Thailand to China. Both sides also agreed to implement further measures such as product inspection at ports of departure, expediting the construction of facilities and infrastructures for the import of fruits at the Mohan railway checkpoint and other border checkpoints, developing Green Lanes, and promoting new alternative transportation routes. The Thai side also thanked the Chinese side for authorizing Thai airlines to resume three commercial flights per week for the Thailand - China route and allowing a certain number of Thai students to return to China to continue their studies, and expressed hope for continued progress on these matters. Meanwhile, the Chinese side positively responded to the Thai side’s request for strengthened cooperation on cracking down on call centre scam operations, which have adversely affected people in Thailand and other countries in the region.

On regional and international issues, the Chinese side reaffirmed support for Thailand’s hosting of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting this year and expressed hope that the meeting will lead to the realisation of the “APEC Putrajaya Vision 2040” and the establishment of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) with a view to advancing regional integration. Both sides also exchanged views on regional and international issues of mutual interest. The Chinese side reaffirmed support for ASEAN centrality in the region.

Following their discussions, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and the State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, together with the Minister of Digital Economy and Society of Thailand, jointly witnessed the exchange ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cyber Security Cooperation between the National Cyber Security Agency of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Cyberspace Administration of the People’s Republic of China.