On 29 - 31 January 2026, Mrs. Sirilak Niyom, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, paid a visit to Beijing, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and led a delegation of experts from the Department of Fine Arts, Ministry of Culture, to organize cultural activities aimed at promoting the Special Exhibition Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Thailand and China, currently being held at the Palace Museum (the Forbidden City).

The Deputy Permanent Secretary delivered the opening remarks for the cultural event at the International Club, Beijing, which featured a demonstration of Khon performances by the Office of Performing Arts; demonstrations and workshops on Khon mask painting, glass mosaic work, and gold-thread patterned textile craftsmanship by the Office of Traditional Arts; as well as a special lecture and exclusive exhibition viewings organized by the National Museum Office, held from 29 January to 1 February 2026, with all sessions fully booked by interested participants.

The Special Exhibition, held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China in 2025, was jointly organized by the Royal Thai Embassy in Beijing, the Palace Museum, the Office of National Museums of the Department of Fine Arts under the Ministry of Culture, with the support of the Thailand Foundation and the Palace Museum of China. Thai antiquities and artworks from national museums across Thailand were displayed alongside artifacts from the Palace Museum within the Wenhua Hall of the Forbidden City, from 18 November 2025 to 24 February 2026, totaling 99 days. This marks the inaugural occasion on which Thai artifacts have been exhibited in the Forbidden City. The Exhibition attracted strong interest from the Chinese public in viewing Thai antiquities of significant historical and cultural value, which symbolize the longstanding relationship between Thailand and China spanning hundreds of years. By the end of January 2026, more than 150,000 visitors had attended the Special Exhibition.

The Deputy Permanent Secretary also met with Mrs. Chen Bo, President of the China Institute of International Studies (CIIS), a think tank affiliated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the PRC, to discuss ways to enhance cooperation between CIIS and the International Studies Centre (ISC) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. Both sides exchanged views on regional developments and global issues, particularly on foreign policy trends and trajectories in the context of today’s rapidly evolving global landscape.