On 6 September 2023, Mr. Chatchai Viriyavejakul, Director-General of the Department of East Asian Affairs, co-chaired the Seventh Thailand - Yunnan Working Group Meeting with Mr. Chen Rongjie, Deputy Director-General of the Foreign Affairs Office of Yunnan Province, in Kunming. H.E. Mr. Wang Hao, Vice Governor of Yunnan Province officiated the Meeting and welcomed more than 100 participants.

After the plenary session, three Sub-Working Groups met separately to review progress of cooperation and explore possibilities for future cooperation.

The Sub-Working Group on trade, investment and logistics was co-chaired by Mrs. Aumaporn Futrakul, Executive Director, Bureau of Asia, Africa, and Middle East, Ministry of Commerce, with Mr. Yin Yonglin, Inspector Level 2, Department of Commerce of Yunnan Province. The group discussed ways to increase trade while reducing trade barriers, maximising the existing trade instruments within ACFTA, RCEP as well as the Thailand - Yunnan “Mini FTA,” which was recently signed on 17 August 2023.

The Sub-Working Group on transport and connectivity was co-chaired by Mr. Racha Aribarg, Director of the Division of the Economic Relations and Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with Mr. Ma Defang, Deputy Director-General, Department of Transport of Yunnan Province. The group explored proposals to faciliate and implement seamless connectivity, particularly the linkage between China - Laos Railway and Thailand’s rail system, as well as border security cooperation.

The Sub-Working Group on social and people-to-people exchanges was co-chaired by Ms. Bhavivarn Noraphallop, Consul-General of Thailand to Kunming, with Mr. Chen Rongjie, Deputy Director-General, Foreign Affairs Office of Yunnan Province. The group discussed how the existing Sister Cities between Thailand and Yunnan Province can enhance cooperation with more concrete activities, including exchanges of best practices and expertise on technology and innovation. The two sides also explored proposals of cooperation on social development, education, culture, public health, and tourism.

In addition, the Meeting also discussed plans to commemorate upcoming milestones in their relations, namely the 30th anniversary of setting up the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Kunming in 2024, and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China in 2025.

At the end of the Meeting, the two co-chairs witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between Guan Lei Port in Yunnan and Chiang Saen Commercial Port on the promotion of cooperation and development of container transportation through the Lancang - Mekong River.

Established in 2001, the Thailand - Yunnan Working Group Meeting was the first mechanism Thailand had co-created with China at the provincial level.