The First Meeting of the Guangdong-Thailand High-Level Cooperation Conference (HLCC) was held on 25 August 2021 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs via video conference, co-chaired by the Minister of Industry of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Governor of Guangdong Provincial Government of the People’s Republic of China.

The Guangdong-Thailand High-Level Cooperation Conference (HLCC) is an elevation of the Guangdong-Thailand Working Group Meeting (WGM), which was established in 2010 at the senior officials, to a ministerial level, as agreed by both sides in 2019. The WGM was successfully convened five (5) times since its establishment, and has promoted pragmatic cooperation and fruitful exchanges between the two sides. The HLCC aims to inject new vitality to the Thailand-China Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership, deepen economic and industrial cooperation between Guangdong and Thailand, and build strategic synergies between the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) and the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), as well as explore cooperation in potential areas of mutual interest.

Both sides shared view on the significance of the HLCC in aligning the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with the Thailand 4.0 Policy and the Bio-Circular-Green Economic Model (BCG), while also intensifying strategic synergies between the GBA and the EEC through cooperation identified under the Memorandum of Understanding between the Eastern Economic Corridor Office of Thailand and People’s Government of Guangdong Province, as well as identifying new cooperation models to further deepen cooperation. Both sides will also explore the possibility of establishing flagship cooperation projects to promote long-term cooperation and development.

The Meeting discussed the importance of enhancing cooperation between Thailand and Guangdong under the HLCC to cope with and respond to global and regional challenges, particularly from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and disruption of supply chain with a view to promoting economic and sustainable development in the long term. In this regard, both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in the following priority areas:

(1) Advanced Industries: Both sides will promote technological cooperation and exchange of talent in smart cities, robotics, artificial intelligence, smart electronics, smart logistics and mobility, medical technology and other related areas, share experiences and best practices in the development of advanced industries, explore effective and mutually beneficial development models, as well as promote joint research and development, business collaboration and two-way investments.

(2) Economy, Trade and Investment: Both sides will increase the volume of trade and economic activities and cooperation through the promotion of business exchanges in designated sectors, Start-ups especially digital, e-commerce and direct trade via major ports of the two sides as well as build up joint connectivity in terms of both physical and digital infrastructure in order to support industrial economic cooperation and industrial ecosystem. Both sides will also support increased investment between Thailand and Guangdong in mutually beneficial sectors.

(3) Agriculture: Both sides will promote agricultural exchanges and cooperation, in such areas as smart farming and agri-technology as well as through agricultural projects and trade in agricultural products.

(4) Culture, Tourism and Healthcare: Both sides will promote cultural, tourism and public health exchanges and cooperation, particularly in the areas of infectious disease control and prevention, vocational health care and maternal and child health care. Both sides will also explore the possibility of establishing mechanisms to further promote culture, tourism, and health care.

(5) Friendly Exchanges between Localities: Both sides will promote friendly exchanges and activities between the existing pairs of sister cities and support new pairings of sister cities relationship between compatible cities, in accordance with relevant rules and regulations of both sides with a view to fostering people-to-people and cross-cultural relations between Thailand and Guangdong.

(6) Other areas of cooperation: Both sides will look into the possibility in promoting cooperation in clean energy, energy technology and innovation and related sectors, as well as in financial and capital market.

Both sides agreed to convene the HLCC every two years with Guangdong and Thailand alternating as host. The Meeting will review and follow-up the implementation of cooperation and projects, as well as identify key areas of cooperation projects for future plan of actions.

Both sides designated the Foreign Affairs Office of Guangdong Province and the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Guangzhou to serve as focal points in the preparation of HLCC meetings and to follow up the implementation of the outcomes of the meetings into concrete results.